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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 1353 Views
There are 21 levels, not 100. More later. *NM* - 20/12/2009 07:23:18 PM 481 Views
RJ has said a number of times that the 21 level scale - 20/12/2009 07:35:25 PM 740 Views
Few glaring errors... - 20/12/2009 09:04:55 PM 930 Views
Re: Few glaring errors... - 21/12/2009 07:52:18 AM 886 Views
You don't get it, do you... - 21/12/2009 08:19:00 AM 836 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 728 Views
That only strengthens my point. - 21/12/2009 06:23:39 PM 756 Views
No it does not. - 28/12/2009 02:45:42 AM 818 Views
What you are missing is that - 21/12/2009 06:46:04 PM 772 Views
I'm not missing it at all.. - 21/12/2009 06:58:04 PM 804 Views
Let's try matching that with the actual text - 22/12/2009 03:01:36 PM 777 Views
Not correct... - 22/12/2009 03:29:24 PM 871 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 771 Views
You're reading the evidence wrong. - 22/12/2009 06:27:17 PM 753 Views
RJ also pointed out that Alivia's skill set as a weapon came in handy - 22/12/2009 07:40:35 PM 706 Views
I thought a power law distribution is much more likely, TBH - 20/12/2009 09:39:21 PM 837 Views
Yes. It essentially refers to a skewed histogram - biased to the lower end of the range... - 20/12/2009 09:53:18 PM 862 Views
Corrections - 21/12/2009 01:48:43 AM 884 Views
No... - 21/12/2009 07:47:58 AM 761 Views
True, the application of this model is inconsistent *NM* - 21/12/2009 02:34:26 PM 606 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 748 Views
Perhaps... - 21/12/2009 07:52:13 AM 828 Views
I've always hated bell curves - 21/12/2009 03:56:26 PM 763 Views
The most logical answer is that the average AOL channeler was stronger than the current average... - 21/12/2009 06:36:07 PM 755 Views
and that in no way maps to any kind of Bell Curve - 22/12/2009 06:02:41 PM 640 Views
Why? - 22/12/2009 06:34:25 PM 772 Views
Can you provide the quote where RJ tells us the - 22/12/2009 07:45:04 PM 686 Views
Always go back to the evidence... - 22/12/2009 09:03:42 PM 835 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 753 Views
Name an item you dispute and I will provide the quote.... - 23/12/2009 05:19:49 PM 733 Views
it's addressed below - 23/12/2009 05:23:58 PM 736 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 779 Views
And in looking for quotes for another thread I came across this gem - 29/12/2009 09:54:34 PM 753 Views
Nice! It proves what I've been saying for ages... - 29/12/2009 10:13:41 PM 779 Views
Which is why I contend that they are about 80% of Lanfear - 29/12/2009 10:16:07 PM 755 Views
I wasn't trying to rip him a new one. - 22/12/2009 09:38:43 PM 666 Views
I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population - 22/12/2009 08:35:23 PM 800 Views
Except that gateway size is used multiple times by characters to judge comparative strength... - 22/12/2009 09:21:07 PM 785 Views
Re: Except that gateway size is used multiple times by characters to judge comparative strength... - 22/12/2009 11:32:21 PM 900 Views
I agree that it's practically impossible to determine strength - 23/12/2009 03:19:49 PM 779 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 443 Views
This is true, however... - 23/12/2009 04:55:48 PM 807 Views
Aviendha's gateway size doesn't decrease. She is just less energy efficient in creating it... - 23/12/2009 05:30:17 PM 1075 Views
Aviendha is suffering from the second weave limitation - 23/12/2009 05:37:45 PM 848 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 695 Views
I'll give you that there is a stength limitation to Traveling - 23/12/2009 06:06:41 PM 720 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 409 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 737 Views
And there you have it...Thank you. - 23/12/2009 06:27:24 PM 731 Views
And linked with Romanda and Lelaine - 23/12/2009 06:34:42 PM 730 Views
Sorry. That's pure speculation on your part. *NM* - 23/12/2009 06:38:43 PM 419 Views
No more than yours is! - 23/12/2009 06:49:57 PM 757 Views
That entire passage is in the context of strength... - 23/12/2009 07:55:50 PM 643 Views
You need to re-read some of this stuff - 23/12/2009 11:01:15 PM 827 Views
Re: I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population - 26/12/2009 12:38:43 PM 746 Views
Re: I don't think we have a representative sample of the mode in this population - 26/12/2009 06:37:50 PM 733 Views
Goodness - 31/12/2009 03:37:23 AM 763 Views
I'm working within the context of what we've been told by the author - 31/12/2009 03:43:31 AM 717 Views
Since you love Wiki so much - 31/12/2009 03:55:09 AM 727 Views
No you are not - 31/12/2009 03:58:28 AM 758 Views
Dude we're discussion works of fiction - 31/12/2009 04:08:12 AM 791 Views
Dumb Bell Distribution of Mongoloid Turings - 31/12/2009 04:36:50 AM 854 Views
Back to school AS, and you will be able to do this - 26/12/2009 12:34:39 PM 703 Views
The problem we're working with is that RJ says strength follows a Bell Curve distribution - 26/12/2009 03:29:26 PM 731 Views
And RJ knew his maths (and you don't) - 31/12/2009 03:22:09 AM 775 Views
I'm not the one who said OP strength followed a Bell Curve Distribution - 31/12/2009 03:34:55 AM 726 Views
You are the one who is MIS-USING his statement - 31/12/2009 03:44:26 AM 734 Views
- 31/12/2009 03:48:20 AM 1022 Views
The pathos of Darius - 31/12/2009 04:26:15 AM 760 Views
Is Lanfear the strongest?(now) - 29/12/2009 12:46:13 AM 675 Views
Re: Is Lanfear the strongest?(now) - 29/12/2009 04:21:47 PM 745 Views

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