Water Cooler Small Discuss: Benford’s Regulation | by Maria Mouschoutzi, PhD | Jan, 2025

STATISTICS

A glance into the unusual first digit distribution of naturally occurring datasets

Picture created by the writer utilizing GPT-4 / All different photographs created by the writer until specified in any other case

Ever heard a co-worker confidently declaring one thing like “The longer I lose at roulette, the nearer I’m to profitable?” Or had a boss that demanded you to not overcomplicate issues and supply only one quantity, ignoring your makes an attempt to elucidate why such a quantity doesn’t exist? Possibly you’ve even shared birthdays with a colleague, and everybody in workplace commented on what a weird cosmic coincidence it have to be.

These moments are typical examples of water cooler small speak — a particular sort of small speak, thriving round break rooms, espresso machines, and naturally, water coolers. It’s the place workers share all types of company gossip, myths, and legends, inaccurate scientific opinions, outrageous private anecdotes, or outright lies. Something goes. So, in my Water Cooler Small Discuss posts, I focus on unusual and often scientifically invalid opinions I’ve overheard in workplace, and discover what’s actually happening.

🍨DataCream is a e-newsletter providing data-driven articles and views on knowledge, tech, AI, and ML. In case you are involved in these matters subscribe right here.