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Column: Technical Aids: Some Notes on Averages

Summary: A person drives from Point A to Point B at 30 miles an hour. To calculate the speed needed to yield an average speed of 60 miles an hour, an arithmetic mean will not work. Because the numerator is held constant, the correct method is the harmonic mean, which is the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the reciprocals of the ratios.

Additional examples are offered.

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  • Topics:
  • Keywords: Geometric mean,Statistical methods,Mean,Averages,Modeling,Ratios,Median
  • Author: Nelson, Lloyd S.
  • Journal: Journal of Quality Technology