That's not necessarily true - there probably isn't an even distribution of seventeen year olds across that 18th year - it might be that considerably more were born in (say) September that any other month, so the average seventeen year old would be less than seventeen and a half.
A more interesting fact (I think) is that the average person has less than two legs - lots of people have one (or none), whereas very few people have three or more....
OK, that's true. The average does vary depending upon the time of year. If your example were true then the average would be quite low in October and peak in August. But if we marginalise with respect to this variable - i.e. take the average across every day of the year - then I think we end up back with the original statement. (Although as RAS pointed out, since several 17yos must die during their 17th year, then the average will be slightly lower).
It's true very few people have three or more legs. I did hear about an interesting operation to save a chap's hand where they couldn't re-attach it immediately due to infection and muck in the wound. Therefore they attached his hand to his groin to keep it alive for a while.
3 Comments:
That's not necessarily true - there probably isn't an even distribution of seventeen year olds across that 18th year - it might be that considerably more were born in (say) September that any other month, so the average seventeen year old would be less than seventeen and a half.
A more interesting fact (I think) is that the average person has less than two legs - lots of people have one (or none), whereas very few people have three or more....
By
Anonymous, at 11:27 am
OK, that's true. The average does vary depending upon the time of year. If your example were true then the average would be quite low in October and peak in August. But if we marginalise with respect to this variable - i.e. take the average across every day of the year - then I think we end up back with the original statement. (Although as RAS pointed out, since several 17yos must die during their 17th year, then the average will be slightly lower).
It's true very few people have three or more legs. I did hear about an interesting operation to save a chap's hand where they couldn't re-attach it immediately due to infection and muck in the wound. Therefore they attached his hand to his groin to keep it alive for a while.
All good fun.
By
simple57uk, at 11:34 am
Surely *no* 17 year olds die in their 17th year - or else they'd still be sixteen. 18th year maybe....
By
Percy, at 9:40 am
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