Statistika rongipeldikutes

Maailmas on keskmiselt kolm nalja statistikutest. Allpool on siis üks neist kolmest.

Three statisticians are on a train journey to a conference, and they get chatting to three epidemiologists who are also going to the same place. The epidemiologists are complaining about the ridiculous cost of train tickets these days. At this, one of the statisticians pipes up “it’s actually quite reasonable if use our method – we’ve just got one ticket between the three of us”.

The epidemiologists are amazed. “But how do you get away with that?”, they cried in unison.

“Watch and learn” replied a statistician.

A few minutes later, the inspector’s voice was heard down the carriage. At that, the statisticians bundled themselves into the toilet. The inspector knocked on the door. “Tickets please”, she said, and the statisticians passed their single ticket under the door. The inspector stamped it and returned it, and the statisticians made it to the conference.

On the way back, the statisticians again met the epidemiologists. This time, the epidemiologists proudly displayed their single ticket. “Aha”, said a statistician. “This time we have no tickets.” Again the epidemiologists were amazed, but they had little time to ponder it because the inspector was coming down the carriage. The epidemiologists dashed off into the toilet, and soon enough there was a knock on the door. “Tickets please”, they heard, and passed their ticket under the door. The statisticians took the ticket and went off to their own toilet!

The moral of the story being “never use a statistical technique that you don’t understand”.