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Do Numbers Lie? (Two Minutes to Read)

4/11/2012

 
There's a dirty little secret when it comes to our numerical system and that is numbers can lie. The accuracy of raw data like 2 + 2 = 4 is vital to the success of mathematics. Our systems of addition, multiplying, subtracting, etc., won't work unless the numbers represent truth. 

The problem we have is that numbers can tell a different story depending on what angle your coming from. This is why there's so many confusing reports where the democrats will say one thing while the republicans will say another. Their arguments can be justified but when looked at correctly a more proper truth can be revealed; the problem is that most people don't know how to do this. I'll give you a great example of what I'm talking about and then I'll leave it at that.

Three men check into a hotel and they're going to share the room. The clerk tells them the room cost $30 so they each pull out a ten and went to their room. A few minutes later a bellhop stops by and says they accidentally charged too much for their room and it should have been $25. They explained to him that each of them pitched in on the room so he grabs some ones out of his pocket and hands each one a dollar and then the guys tell him to keep the change which was two dollars.

Consider this...the men originally invested $10 a piece for the room but each guy got a dollar back so they only paid $9 a piece or $27 total. They tell the bellhop to keep the change which was $2. Here's where it gets confusing. If each guy paid $9 for the room ($27 total) and the bellhop got $2 as a tip, what happened to the other dollar?

The truth is the $30 can still be accounted for but you have to know how to properly follow the money trail to find it. Pretty wild isn't it?!


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    Author: John Mann

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