Algorithmic stupidity

[dsrtao]

AKA screwing up by the numbers.

Weather Underground says that tomorrow will be "much cooler" than today. That's because the high temperature will be 95F instead of 104F.

Comments

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

104 where??

[dsrtao]

One of the reporting stations in north Waltham.

[the-nita.livejournal.com]

Technically, 9 degrees is a lot. It won't make a hill of beans difference, but it is 10%. People have been known to change spending habits for a 10% difference.

[dsrtao]

I'm pretty sure that referring to a temperature change of 10% doesn't make sense in Fahrenheit, and not really in Celsius either.