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The problem we're working with is that RJ says strength follows a Bell Curve distribution darius_sedai Send a noteboard - 26/12/2009 03:29:26 PM
Let me start out by stating the various facts that we know for certain:

1. OP Strength follows a Bell Curve


I suggest you are mixing up your maths. The bell curve is a FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION of something countable. It cannot be used as a tool to determine the nature of the countable things.

For example, take 3 people (Gawyn, Galad, Elayne) with IQs respectively of 80, 95, 140 (sd = 15, mean = 110). All we can say is that Gawyn has a higher IQ than 2% of the population, Galad has a higher IQ than 16% of the population and Elayne has a higher IQ than 84% of the population.

We cannot say what IQ means by contemplating the standardised curve. We cannot say that Gawyn and Galad are (together) smarter than Elayne. We cannot if IQ of 80 is sufficient to play stones. If we know these things, we know for other reasons.

To "solve" the power issue you simply need to construct formulae and solve. Given that we rely on terms such as "nearly", "twice" and so on, there is a big margin to play with. Using a scale is a good idea, however it should be linear. Standardising to 0-100 adds complexity, suggests log or exp values, and may be source of your misplaced use of the bell curve.

Once you had formula and data sorted out, then you could use normal distribution to say things. For example, you might say "gee, there is a real lack of strong women from Seanchan. What's the chance this occurs randomly? 0.001%! There is something odd afoot, I think."

Is there a list anywhere of every RJ quote on relative strengths? I'd love to look thru.

Domani Drag Queen in the White Tower ... Aran'gar watch out!
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I've been playing with some numbers since we've been having all of these OP strength debates - 20/12/2009 06:34:05 PM 1384 Views
There are 21 levels, not 100. More later. *NM* - 20/12/2009 07:23:18 PM 500 Views
RJ has said a number of times that the 21 level scale - 20/12/2009 07:35:25 PM 778 Views
Few glaring errors... - 20/12/2009 09:04:55 PM 968 Views
Re: Few glaring errors... - 21/12/2009 07:52:18 AM 925 Views
You don't get it, do you... - 21/12/2009 08:19:00 AM 873 Views
Didn't you claim that Eggy+Rom+Lel cannot match a male forsaken? Now they can match Lanfear? - 21/12/2009 04:14:32 PM 766 Views
That only strengthens my point. - 21/12/2009 06:23:39 PM 792 Views
No it does not. - 28/12/2009 02:45:42 AM 853 Views
What you are missing is that - 21/12/2009 06:46:04 PM 813 Views
I'm not missing it at all.. - 21/12/2009 06:58:04 PM 840 Views
Let's try matching that with the actual text - 22/12/2009 03:01:36 PM 812 Views
Not correct... - 22/12/2009 03:29:24 PM 907 Views
Believe as you like, I'm not here to convince you to otherwise, I'm stating how I read the evidence - 22/12/2009 06:01:24 PM 805 Views
You're reading the evidence wrong. - 22/12/2009 06:27:17 PM 789 Views
RJ also pointed out that Alivia's skill set as a weapon came in handy - 22/12/2009 07:40:35 PM 741 Views
I thought a power law distribution is much more likely, TBH - 20/12/2009 09:39:21 PM 876 Views
Yes. It essentially refers to a skewed histogram - biased to the lower end of the range... - 20/12/2009 09:53:18 PM 897 Views
Corrections - 21/12/2009 01:48:43 AM 922 Views
No... - 21/12/2009 07:47:58 AM 802 Views
True, the application of this model is inconsistent *NM* - 21/12/2009 02:34:26 PM 619 Views
yet RJ has said flat out that OP strength is on an Bell Curve. Meaning the majority of channelers - 21/12/2009 07:36:22 AM 783 Views
Perhaps... - 21/12/2009 07:52:13 AM 866 Views
I've always hated bell curves - 21/12/2009 03:56:26 PM 797 Views
The most logical answer is that the average AOL channeler was stronger than the current average... - 21/12/2009 06:36:07 PM 790 Views
and that in no way maps to any kind of Bell Curve - 22/12/2009 06:02:41 PM 676 Views
Why? - 22/12/2009 06:34:25 PM 806 Views
Can you provide the quote where RJ tells us the - 22/12/2009 07:45:04 PM 718 Views
Always go back to the evidence... - 22/12/2009 09:03:42 PM 869 Views
I'll respond when you can actually provide a few actual quotes to support any of this - 23/12/2009 03:20:44 PM 787 Views
Name an item you dispute and I will provide the quote.... - 23/12/2009 05:19:49 PM 768 Views
it's addressed below - 23/12/2009 05:23:58 PM 775 Views
I've been looking into this a bit... and you really do overstate things to suit your arguments - 24/12/2009 06:15:44 PM 815 Views
And in looking for quotes for another thread I came across this gem - 29/12/2009 09:54:34 PM 788 Views
Nice! It proves what I've been saying for ages... - 29/12/2009 10:13:41 PM 816 Views
Which is why I contend that they are about 80% of Lanfear - 29/12/2009 10:16:07 PM 792 Views
I wasn't trying to rip him a new one. - 22/12/2009 09:38:43 PM 706 Views
I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population - 22/12/2009 08:35:23 PM 839 Views
Except that gateway size is used multiple times by characters to judge comparative strength... - 22/12/2009 09:21:07 PM 822 Views
Re: Except that gateway size is used multiple times by characters to judge comparative strength... - 22/12/2009 11:32:21 PM 934 Views
I agree that it's practically impossible to determine strength - 23/12/2009 03:19:49 PM 816 Views
How convenient. And by the way, it is NOT tied to a Talent. Anyone who is strong enough, can Travel. *NM* - 23/12/2009 04:36:24 PM 459 Views
This is true, however... - 23/12/2009 04:55:48 PM 845 Views
Aviendha's gateway size doesn't decrease. She is just less energy efficient in creating it... - 23/12/2009 05:30:17 PM 1129 Views
Aviendha is suffering from the second weave limitation - 23/12/2009 05:37:45 PM 888 Views
Conceded. My faulty memory is to blame in this case. But it doesn't change the rule... - 23/12/2009 06:01:33 PM 728 Views
I'll give you that there is a stength limitation to Traveling - 23/12/2009 06:06:41 PM 754 Views
Why do the characters in the books judge each other's strength on gateway size then? *NM* - 23/12/2009 06:08:17 PM 423 Views
Re: Why do the characters in the books judge each other's strength on gateway size then? - 23/12/2009 06:20:18 PM 772 Views
And there you have it...Thank you. - 23/12/2009 06:27:24 PM 770 Views
And linked with Romanda and Lelaine - 23/12/2009 06:34:42 PM 769 Views
Sorry. That's pure speculation on your part. *NM* - 23/12/2009 06:38:43 PM 434 Views
No more than yours is! - 23/12/2009 06:49:57 PM 797 Views
That entire passage is in the context of strength... - 23/12/2009 07:55:50 PM 678 Views
You need to re-read some of this stuff - 23/12/2009 11:01:15 PM 864 Views
Re: I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population - 26/12/2009 12:38:43 PM 781 Views
Re: I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population - 26/12/2009 06:37:50 PM 773 Views
Goodness - 31/12/2009 03:37:23 AM 799 Views
I'm working within the context of what we've been told by the author - 31/12/2009 03:43:31 AM 754 Views
Since you love Wiki so much - 31/12/2009 03:55:09 AM 759 Views
No you are not - 31/12/2009 03:58:28 AM 797 Views
Dude we're discussion works of fiction - 31/12/2009 04:08:12 AM 827 Views
Dumb Bell Distribution of Mongoloid Turings - 31/12/2009 04:36:50 AM 895 Views
Back to school AS, and you will be able to do this - 26/12/2009 12:34:39 PM 746 Views
The problem we're working with is that RJ says strength follows a Bell Curve distribution - 26/12/2009 03:29:26 PM 773 Views
And RJ knew his maths (and you don't) - 31/12/2009 03:22:09 AM 809 Views
I'm not the one who said OP strength followed a Bell Curve Distribution - 31/12/2009 03:34:55 AM 766 Views
You are the one who is MIS-USING his statement - 31/12/2009 03:44:26 AM 771 Views
- 31/12/2009 03:48:20 AM 1059 Views
The pathos of Darius - 31/12/2009 04:26:15 AM 799 Views
Is Lanfear the strongest?(now) - 29/12/2009 12:46:13 AM 712 Views
Re: Is Lanfear the strongest?(now) - 29/12/2009 04:21:47 PM 784 Views

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