Leonardo wrote:
> Please do not flame me: But i have noted in the last two weeks
> that in some [SE] parts of US people not only have problems with
> fractions and decimals, but with comparing Natural Numbers too !
Of course, he is correct. But it is nothing more than evidence of the basic
fact of measurment (INCLUDING counting), that it is IMPOSSIBLE to make ANY
measurement to absoultely perfect precision. There is ALWAYS some error.
It is true that integers (whole numbers) are easier to count than rational
numbers (numbers that include fractional parts to an indefinite number of
decimal palces). But it is nonetheless true that an EXACTLY correct count is
impossible.
Some of our problems here in the southeastern US (Florida, where I am) is
the failure of most people to realize that fact. One may get different
results with a hand count than with a machine count, but one also will get
different answers with two consecutive machine counts (we did that) and one
would also get different answers with two different hand counts.
The question that should be asked is "which method is likely to be more
reliable", rather than "which method is exactly correct". I believe the
machine counts are more reliable and should be used unless there is
verifiable evidence of machine malfunction. (And, no, I am not a supporter
of Mr. Bush. I voted for Mr. Gore.)
Too many people in the US (and elsewhere?) think that we should be able to
come up with the exact figure. With a dozen eggs I think that can be done
all but 1 in a million time. With 6 million ballots, I don't believe that is
possible even if counted a million times. (And even if one of the counts WAS
perfectly correct, as known only by God, how would we mortals know which
one?)
To all our friends in the rest of the world, be assured that the mood here
in the US is "We don't care who wins, just get this thing settled." All but
the most radical partisans on both sides are ready to recognize and support
whichever candidate is eventually declared the winner.
Regards,
Bill Hooper
embarrassed Floridian
