I need some math/statistic help

[DevNull]

This involves some mathematical explanation that I am not proficient in when asked to prove it on paper. I can look at it immediately and tell it is wrong and give a concept style answer, but I lack the discipline and motivation to dot my i's and cross my t's. If anyone can toss in a few mathematically supportive zingers to add, I would much appreciate it.

The deal is that this clown of a columnist in Calgary, who claims he is a conservative, states that the average IQ of a Marine is 90. I say bull. The lower end of the total simply could not exist in such an organization.

Here was my 2 cents on the short debate:

Ian Robinson is an angry conservative writer who simply lacks journalistic talent. The math does not work out on the IQ thing. When you factor in the Naval Aviators (Marine Corps) who routinely score in the top 5-10 percentile for IQ scores then couple that with the many specialists and sheer multitude of officers who have racked up college educations then it is clear that you are dealing with a number closer to 100 and maybe just slightly over. Some simple thought put into the matter would reveal that to offset the high number of intelligent Marines, there would have to be some frighteningly low IQ scores out there. You do need a GED or a high school diploma to join the Marines so this would seriously limit most IQ's under 89... statistically anyway.


Thanks for any help,

Dev

[libertarianjim]

Do you have a link to the column? Although I think your interpretation makes sense, we'd need to see what he has to say before commenting.

[DevNull]

Do you have a link to the column? Although I think your interpretation makes sense, we'd need to see what he has to say before commenting.

At the risk of turning this political: http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Calgary/Ian_Robinson/2004/11/21/724000.html

I am a proud Neocon BTW. Either Robinson is a shill or has an IQ of 90 himself.

[matthew0028]

This involves some mathematical explanation that I am not proficient in when asked to prove it on paper. I can look at it immediately and tell it is wrong and give a concept style answer, but I lack the discipline and motivation to dot my i's and cross my t's. If anyone can toss in a few mathematically supportive zingers to add, I would much appreciate it.

The deal is that this clown of a columnist in Calgary, who claims he is a conservative, states that the average IQ of a Marine is 90. I say bull. The lower end of the total simply could not exist in such an organization.

Here was my 2 cents on the short debate:

Ian Robinson is an angry conservative writer who simply lacks journalistic talent. The math does not work out on the IQ thing. When you factor in the Naval Aviators (Marine Corps) who routinely score in the top 5-10 percentile for IQ scores then couple that with the many specialists and sheer multitude of officers who have racked up college educations then it is clear that you are dealing with a number closer to 100 and maybe just slightly over. Some simple thought put into the matter would reveal that to offset the high number of intelligent Marines, there would have to be some frighteningly low IQ scores out there. You do need a GED or a high school diploma to join the Marines so this would seriously limit most IQ's under 89... statistically anyway.


Thanks for any help,

Dev

I'm gonna make up some numbers to suggest that the average of 90 isn't so far off. Actually, I was gonna... until I just reread the article. To quote:

The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90.

Note: they're talking about non-officers, so your educated officers with college education don't add into the equation.

As for the naval aviators... I don't know if they qualify as enlisted or not, but let's assume that they are. And lets pretend (on the very generous side), that the average IQ of the naval aviator is... 125, and that fully 10% of marines are naval aviators. Now, let's say that "under 90" is referring to regular marines... say the average is 86.

So, if 90% of the marines have an average IQ of 86, and 10% have an average IQ of 130, the total average IQ is 89.9.

And remember, these are outrageously high figures (I think) on the naval aviators side. So I don't think it's unlikely that the average would still be under 90.

But I do think he was talking about the "standard" ground-combat marines...

[DevNull]

Matthew, an always welcome poster in my view, thank you.

I know enough to post for help when something bugs me (and I am too damn lazy/incapable to ponder on my own) and you came through with shining colors.

Bravo. Excellent catch on the "enlisted". INTJ work for sure.