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I'm triggered every time I see things like "$663,937.02 today". I just can't help it. There should be a word for [mindlessly] reporting the results of a calcula

I'm triggered every time I see things like "$663,937.02 today". I just can't help it. There should be a word for [mindlessly] reporting the results of a calculation to arbitrary precision when only one significant digit of precision is warranted. There probably is such a word in German.

russdill 2y ago
I really love it when this has clearly happened in US children's books. Things like, "ate nearly 551 pounds of food per day!" or similar.
kstrauser 2y ago
You and me both! When I see something like "a blue whale can be nearly 100 feet (30.48m) long", I want to throw a math book at the author. "Nearly 100 feet" is "nearly 30 meters". "About $250K" is "about $660K today" at best.
- grecy 2y ago
  It's almost like everyone should just adopt the system of units and measurements that makes the most sense and is used by the very, VERY vast majority of the world.
  - kstrauser 2y ago
    Also true but not relevant here. That original example of overly precise dollar amounts would still be an issue. The root cause isn’t units, but innumeracy.
    - grecy 2y ago
      Sure, that example would still exist, but the example of C to F and Meters to Feet would be gone forever. Add in Miles to Kilometers, pounds to kilograms and all the rest and you've reduced the problem space dramatically.
- billforsternz 2y ago
  Yes, my comment implied "about $700K" since I said one significant digit, but I have no problem at all with "about "$660K" especially when you add "at best" as you did :-). In general I think these inflation estimators are inherently very imprecise across multi decade timespans because the societal changes that occur over long periods of time mean you inevitably are comparing apples to oranges.
- hanche 2y ago
  Not to mention the number of times you see geographical locations specified to nanometer precision.
  - genpfault 2y ago
    https://xkcd.com/2170/ https://xkcd.com/2170/
- masfuerte 2y ago
  My favourite is "average July temperatures have increased by 2°C (35.6°F)".
  - pjdesno 2y ago
    My favorite is 98.6F - your whole perspective changes when you realize that it's actually 37C.
- fecal_henge 2y ago
  Should be 1/4 M$, 2/3 M$.
bagful 2y ago
To provide figures in this manner is to report with "false precision", but we could workshop that phrase into something pithier.
BinaryRage 2y ago
[flagged]
flemhans 2y ago
Überpräzisionsberichterstattung
- HPsquared 2y ago
  Google Translate accepts it, so I guess it's a word. Only one Google result though (this page).
  - zamadatix 2y ago
    Google Translate just understands how German allows "on the fly" compound words. E.g. it knows "Überpräzisionsberichterstattunghundhund" is " "Over-precision reporting dog dog" not because it's anymore a word than other nonsense but just because it's what it would mean if you made it up.
- krylon 2y ago
  Sometimes you just gotta love the German language. We joyfully smash words together to make new words, like a linguistic particle accelerator. :-)
- carstenhag 2y ago
  Would be possible but seems overcomplicated. Why not just "Überpräzisierung"? This is actually in use.
  - LargoLasskhyfv 2y ago
    Maybe, haven't heard it IRL though. As opposed to the more vague 'Übergründlich'.
    - pantalaimon 2y ago
      That’s when someone takes ages to e.g. clean something up because they are using way more effort than necessary.
- fch42 2y ago
formerly_proven 2y ago
Another issue is that computer prices are really hard to compare across time, especially for systems targeted at businesses. Do you just use the CPI? Why is that meaningful? Do you use the one for IT? (Then it would be like, "$250,000 in 1989 ($1,400 today)") Something in-between? How do you capture the notion that workstations of this era were basically the first generation that allowed businesses to computer-aid stuff they used to do on paper, bringing a massive productivity boost?
Beijinger 2y ago
Extremzufallsgenauigkeitsangabe?
486sx33 2y ago
Schadenfreude
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

russdill 2y ago

I really love it when this has clearly happened in US children's books. Things like, "ate nearly 551 pounds of food per day!" or similar.

kstrauser 2y ago

You and me both! When I see something like "a blue whale can be nearly 100 feet (30.48m) long", I want to throw a math book at the author. "Nearly 100 feet" is "nearly 30 meters". "About $250K" is "about $660K today" at best.

grecy 2y ago
It's almost like everyone should just adopt the system of units and measurements that makes the most sense and is used by the very, VERY vast majority of the world.
- kstrauser 2y ago
  Also true but not relevant here. That original example of overly precise dollar amounts would still be an issue. The root cause isn’t units, but innumeracy.
  - grecy 2y ago
    Sure, that example would still exist, but the example of C to F and Meters to Feet would be gone forever. Add in Miles to Kilometers, pounds to kilograms and all the rest and you've reduced the problem space dramatically.
billforsternz 2y ago
Yes, my comment implied "about $700K" since I said one significant digit, but I have no problem at all with "about "$660K" especially when you add "at best" as you did :-). In general I think these inflation estimators are inherently very imprecise across multi decade timespans because the societal changes that occur over long periods of time mean you inevitably are comparing apples to oranges.
hanche 2y ago
Not to mention the number of times you see geographical locations specified to nanometer precision.
- genpfault 2y ago
  https://xkcd.com/2170/ https://xkcd.com/2170/
masfuerte 2y ago
My favourite is "average July temperatures have increased by 2°C (35.6°F)".
- pjdesno 2y ago
  My favorite is 98.6F - your whole perspective changes when you realize that it's actually 37C.
fecal_henge 2y ago
Should be 1/4 M$, 2/3 M$.

bagful 2y ago

To provide figures in this manner is to report with "false precision", but we could workshop that phrase into something pithier.

BinaryRage 2y ago

[flagged]

flemhans 2y ago

Überpräzisionsberichterstattung

HPsquared 2y ago
Google Translate accepts it, so I guess it's a word. Only one Google result though (this page).
- zamadatix 2y ago
  Google Translate just understands how German allows "on the fly" compound words. E.g. it knows "Überpräzisionsberichterstattunghundhund" is " "Over-precision reporting dog dog" not because it's anymore a word than other nonsense but just because it's what it would mean if you made it up.
krylon 2y ago
Sometimes you just gotta love the German language. We joyfully smash words together to make new words, like a linguistic particle accelerator. :-)
carstenhag 2y ago
Would be possible but seems overcomplicated. Why not just "Überpräzisierung"? This is actually in use.
- LargoLasskhyfv 2y ago
  Maybe, haven't heard it IRL though. As opposed to the more vague 'Übergründlich'.
  - pantalaimon 2y ago
    That’s when someone takes ages to e.g. clean something up because they are using way more effort than necessary.
fch42 2y ago

formerly_proven 2y ago

Another issue is that computer prices are really hard to compare across time, especially for systems targeted at businesses. Do you just use the CPI? Why is that meaningful? Do you use the one for IT? (Then it would be like, "$250,000 in 1989 ($1,400 today)") Something in-between? How do you capture the notion that workstations of this era were basically the first generation that allowed businesses to computer-aid stuff they used to do on paper, bringing a massive productivity boost?

Beijinger 2y ago

Extremzufallsgenauigkeitsangabe?

486sx33 2y ago

Schadenfreude

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]