Monday 15 October 2007

The graphs post, in which VC pretends to understand statistics

As promised, today I bring you much graphy goodness!

First, here is the full list of results returned in the Knitting Speeds Straw Poll:


Name Stitches per minute (SPM)
NBM 3, with lots of hand-holding (but she is a complete beginner, so well done NBM!)
lauren 25
Working Mom Knits 27
the vicious chicken 29
Trashalou 29
Melissa 32
Studio Christine 32
Zoebert 32
Jesi 35
Monkee Maker average 38
Random Reflections 42
Viv 54
Sylv approx. 432


(I hope you like that table, becasue it took a heck of a long time to do, I can tell you. I know it's still a bit odd-looking - that's cos I don't really know what I'm doing.)


From the above results, we can observe the following:

The median (middle speed when listed in ascending order) is 32 SPM
The mode (most frequently-occuring speed) is 32 SPM
The mean (numerical average) is 62 SPM including Sylv, or 31.5 SPM excluding her (sorry, Sylv, but your score was heavily approximated by Trashalou...)

Thus, 32 SPM seems quite consistently to be our average knitting speed. If, like me, you are slower than that, don't feel bad: remember that the KSSP is not a competition. Perhaps we can say that our knitting philosophy is one of, "we get to the destination eventually, we just take longer to enjoy the journey". Or something.


And now, for the visually-minded amongst you: the graphs!! [NB: I think they might technically be charts, but if so, please don't point out my ignorance too vociferously...]


Firstly, a bar chart showing the spread of SPM counts (sorry it's kinda small, but I think you can click on it to see a giant version):


And here is a pie chart depicting the percentage distribution of each SPM range:



Ain't these pretty? And weren't they truly worth waiting for? You betcha by golly wow.


But they were quite hard work (and, I suspect, the product of a woefully poor grasp of how to use charts appropriately) so I don't think I'll be doing any more.


Also I feel really geeky now, so I think I'd better draw this post to a close. With quite a heavy line drawn under it.


(Incidentally, if anyone can think of a genuinely useful purpose for any of this, do let me know; I'd be most grateful. But I won't hold my breath.)


9 comments:

trash said...

Wow! Sylv will be very impressed that her knitting ability created such a radical bell curve in your data layout.

(Do you like my 'geekspeak'?)

Monkee Maker said...

Simply stunning graphs and charts and pie-charts and all that maths!! I'm impressed!

I have one small complaint though .... well, don't I always??

You weren't meant to be holding hands. It was meant to be a serious experiment and No, it's no excuse that it was your anniversary recently.

;)

Tracy x said...

hold the page!!!!!!
the BEST use for all this graph and pie malarky is so very clear.....
My other half who thinks i spend waaaaaaaaay too much time blogging, happened to poke his snouty nose over my shoulder, glanced at the very technical and impressive graphs that you have lovingly produced, and declared that i was at last looking at the internet to further my knowledge etc etc.

hah

fooled him

i thank you x

tracy x

Random Reflections said...

Or... the graphs etc are an illustration of what happens when you have much time on your hands *thinks* when you're not running half marathons etc of course...

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmm- love the sexy graphs...
Tell NBM not to worry, she's 3 SPMs faster than I'll ever be!!!!!

lauren bergold said...

now THOSE are some very superior, extremely official looking, deeply impressive graphs! those were WELLLLLL worth the time & effort. (but then...it was not MY time & effort...so it's kinda easy for me to say!) :)

in the vernacular of my people, i would have to say, "those are some KICK-ASS graphs"...at least that's what i *would* say if it wasn't awfully vulgar & american & totally letting down the tone of an otherwise grown-up and statistically inspiring post!

ps: a big hurrah and thank you to NBM for having a go! now see, THAT is true love for ya!!! (awwwww!)

Melissa J. Lee said...

Oooh, graphs! They look very professional to me.

Anonymous said...

Thank you MM, Nia and Lauren - I like the love for my very basic attmepts at knitting ;o)

NBM xx

Zoebert said...

Pretty colors


and who doesn't like Pie?
YUMMY!