How do you do Averages?/Average Rules

[RCTACameron]

There are two ways to do an average (we'll say it's an average of five):

1. Do five solves, and just get the average of them.

2. Do the solves, take out the best and worst times, and get the average of the 3 remaining.

Obviously, the WCA uses the second one, and I've had to use it in the weekly competition. However, when I'm practicing, I've always used the first option.

Recently, I did a 2x2 avg of 12. I didn't actually just say "I'm going to do it now", I waited until I got a good solve, then counted that as my first solve.

Also, with this average, I got a DNF. I was using the first method for the average, so I decided to just ignore the DNF and average the 11 solves, but still call it an average of 12.

I have been trying to get a sub-5 avg 12 for a while. With the first method (technically being and avg 11), I got 4.95. I was excited.

However, If I had of used the second method, it sadly would have been a 5.06 avg.

So, here are my questions:

1. Which method do you use? (I know, most people will say #2)

2. If I do switch to method #2, should I still count myself as having a 4.95 average?

3. Do you think it's fair that I just averaged 11 solves and counted it as an avg 12?

4. Do you think it's okay that I waited until I had a good solve, and then counted it as the first of my average?

 

[ElectricDoodie]

In my opinion, you should either do 1 or 2, and stick with it.
If you keep switching it up, your averages will keep fluctuating, and you won't actually be able to distinguish how well you are doing. It's like weighing yourself at a different scale every time.

Also, about you choosing the best AVG, I guess it's OK, but I personally wouldn't do that. When people ask me my AVG, I don't tell them the best AVG I've ever had, because that's not my AVG. That's my best AVG. If they asked me to do it in front of them, I'd then fail, because they would be expecting an AVG of 25, when in actuality, my AVG is 30-ish.

It's like if I chose to use my top 12 lucky solves, AVG those, and say "Hey guys, 23-secs is my AVG!" But, it's not.

 

[RCTACameron]

I know. I'd probably say that that is my avg 12 record, and that on 2x2, I average 4.5-6 seconds.

I am going to choose one method, and stick to it. I'm just not sure which one yet.

 

[Inf3rn0]

Just choose the 2nd one that way any super lucky solves or ratshit ones dont give you an average youre nowhere near. Its late I dont even know if that sentence makes sense sorry if it doesnt.

 

[aronpm]

If you use #1 you can't compare your averages to anyone else.

There are also statistical reasons why #2 is better but I won't go into them.

EDIT: Also, I'm sure we call #1 'mean' and #2 'average'. Mean is usually only used for 3 solves.

 

[amostay2004]

1. I dunno any decent cuber who doesn't use the second method.

2. No. Don't worry about it, you'll get there soon with method 2

3. If you're gonna take the mean, do it properly. 1 DNFF = DNF average. That's why people go for the 2nd method.

4. It's totally fine.

 

[Daniel Wu]

1. #2
2. No
3. No
4. Yes

 

[LewisJ]

1. #2
2. No
3. No
4. Yes

 

[Gavin]

1.#2
2. Take out your best time also.
3. No
4. Yes

 

[cmhardw]

Most people use the second method, as others have said. However, the only time that everyone uses the first method is when doing an average of 100. A lot of people, myself included, consider this to be your "true" average. Whenever I am trying to get sub-X, I don't consider myself to actually have achieved the goal until I get my first 100 cube average that is sub-X. I would venture to say that a lot of people who do 100 cube averages might possibly feel the same way, based on posts I've seen on the forum before.

Chris

 

[Enter]

Statistics for 08-25-2010 16:44:16

Cubes Solved: 50/50
Number of Pops: 0
Average: 17.46
Standard Deviation: 1.45
Best Time: 14.24
Worst Time: 20.84
Individual Times:
1. 15.02 B2 D2 U' B2 D2 U B U' L D2 U2 B F D2 U R2 B2 F' R2 B' F D U L R2
2. 15.07 B' F2 U' L2 B D' B2 L F2 L' R' D2 R2 B L R2 D2 U F' R' B' D2 U' B D2
3. 16.26 L B' R' B' D L' D' U2 L' F2 D' L R' B D' L F2 D2 U' R' D' R B U2 R
4. 17.33 R' D' F2 D' B F U2 F D U2 R' D U B2 D U' B' F L R F' D' B F L'
5. 14.52 B' L D' U2 R' D' U' R D' L' B2 F L D2 R2 D U2 B' R2 U' L R2 B F D2
6. 17.58 F' L2 R F D U2 R2 F D2 U' B2 F2 L2 R2 B2 D2 B2 D U2 R2 D' F' D B' U'
7. 17.32 B2 L R' F' L2 R' B R2 F2 L R2 U2 L F L R U F2 D' U' B2 R D B2 F2
8. 15.49 R2 D2 U2 L' R2 B' F' U2 F2 U2 L' R2 F' R2 D2 B2 L R B2 F' L2 R B' F' R2
9. 18.17 D U' F D L2 R' F' U2 L R U F U B2 U' L' R' U L2 D' U' R F2 D' U
10. 15.98 F' U2 L2 D2 L' B2 R B' F' L' R U2 B' F D2 U' L R U' B2 F L R U L2
11. 17.10 F' L R' D' U2 F2 L2 D2 U F' D F2 D U' L' R2 B U F R' B R' B' R' B
12. 16.52 F D U' L2 R U B L' R' B2 L F' D2 U' L2 R2 B F R2 B' L' R' D2 R2 D2
13. 17.29 U2 L' D U R B2 F D2 F' D' F D2 B2 F2 D L R' D' U B' F' U' B F2 D2
14. 16.72 B L' R B F2 U' L R F2 L2 R B U' B' F' D2 U2 B2 L' D U' R2 B F D'
15. 17.09 D' U' F2 U R D2 B2 D2 U' R D U2 L2 F' L' U B' F U B2 D' B2 F2 R2 U'
16. 16.83 L' B2 R' B F2 R' B' F' D2 U F' D2 F' L' R B2 F2 R U2 R' B2 D2 U2 L' B
17. 16.77 L2 D' U L2 R' B' L2 R B F2 D F2 L D2 U' R' F2 R D U2 B2 F D' U' B2
18. 14.24 D' U L2 R' F R' B' L2 D U' L2 R D' U L R B F' U2 B' L2 R D' R D'
19. 16.53 L2 D2 U L2 D' L2 F2 L' B2 F U2 L' R D U B2 F' D U' F2 D2 B' F2 L2 R'
20. 19.86 R D2 U R2 F U F2 D2 U B D2 U2 B2 L R2 D2 F' D U B2 F R' U' R2 D'
21. 17.92 U' L D2 F' D F D2 F' L2 R B D2 L R2 D' B' F' L' F2 L2 D' U R2 D2 L
22. 16.23 D2 U B F' R2 B D2 U' B F' D U2 L2 R' D' L2 B F D' U R U2 L2 R B2
23. 18.90 B2 U L' R U' F R2 B L2 R' B2 D U' R2 D B F2 D B F2 U2 L B F2 L'
24. 15.83 B F2 U2 L' R2 D' B F L' B2 L' R' D U' B2 U' F' L' R D U F U B F'
25. 17.44 F2 L F2 D B2 F' L R' U' B' F' D' U R' B2 D2 U F' L F R B' F2 U2 R2
26. 19.55 U2 R' B R B2 F' L D L' R B2 D' L2 R U' B' F R2 D2 U L' D U' L F
27. 17.72 D2 B2 U' R' U2 B' F' L2 F R2 D B D U R' D' U2 R2 F' U B2 L F' U' R'
28. 18.41 R F2 D2 B D2 U L B2 F' U2 L2 R2 D' R' B2 F R' B' U2 L' R' D2 U' B' F2
29. 14.88 F U' L2 D2 U' B F' D2 U L' R' B2 D B F L2 R U L2 R D2 F U L' D2
30. 17.75 F U' R2 D2 U' F D' R2 U2 R2 U2 F D U' B2 D' U' L R' D' B' U2 R2 F' D'
31. 17.30 B F D2 U' R' B2 F2 U2 L D2 B2 U L D' U2 B D' U L2 R2 F2 D B L' R'
32. 18.27 B' D' U' L D B2 F U' F D F' R B2 F' R' B2 F2 L' D' B R F2 D L2 R2
33. 17.96 B2 R2 D' U' L' R' B' F2 L2 R U R2 F2 L' R2 U F U F2 D' U' B' F U L
34. 19.93 D2 U2 L2 R F2 D2 U B' L' R' F2 R' D' U2 L2 R F L' R2 D B2 D2 L' R2 B
35. 20.84 B F D2 U' L B F U' B' F D2 U L2 R U2 L2 R F U B2 L B D' R2 B
36. 18.84 R' D U' L' R' D L R D2 B D' U' R2 F' U L2 R2 U L U' B' R' D B' F2
37. 19.98 U2 L' R2 B L' R' B2 D2 U L2 B F2 L F R U2 L B D2 B' F' L' R' B2 R
38. 17.95 L B2 L2 F2 L F D' B' F2 U' L D2 U' R' D2 L D' B2 R2 F' D' F L B F2
39. 16.43 D B2 F R B2 D' B F2 D' U' B2 R' B2 U2 F U' L' F2 L' F2 L2 R' D L' R'
40. 17.18 L R' B F' U' L' R' D B F2 L2 F2 L2 D2 U' R2 U R' F' L D' F' D' U' F
41. 17.29 L' R B F2 R' F' D2 U F' D2 L' B R' D2 U' L2 D2 L' R B2 F' L' D' B U'
42. 18.07 R' D' U' R B' U2 R' D' U' R' D' L U F2 L2 R D2 U B' F R' D' U B2 R'
43. 17.50 D2 F' U2 B L' D2 L2 R' B D' U B' U2 B2 D2 U F L2 R2 D F L R2 B2 F'
44. 18.38 D' L2 R F' R B F' L R2 B D' U2 R' F' D2 U F' L F L R B2 F D' U'
45. 18.32 B D' R U' L' F' L2 R2 D' U F R' B' F2 L D' R B F' D2 B F D2 U B'
46. 17.26 L2 F L R2 B U L' R' F L' R' U B' U B2 F' R2 D2 U B' R' B R2 D' U
47. 18.85 B2 F2 R' D U2 L2 R' B' U' F D' B' F D2 U' L' D2 U2 L' U2 F D' B' U B
48. 19.49 D2 L F2 D' F' L D' U L' R B F' D' U' B F2 D2 U2 L' R2 D2 B F2 L2 F'
49. 19.16 R2 D2 L2 F2 L U2 L2 R' U L R2 F R U' L F' D U2 R2 F D' U2 F2 R B'
50. 17.90 L' D' F2 D2 R' D' U' B' R U F' L R' B F2 L' U R B R' F U' B2 F2 L'

 

[amostay2004]

However, the only time that everyone uses the first method is when doing an average of 100.

What? If you use CCT probably. But as far as I know, a lot of people do averages of 100 on qqTimer and it removes the best and worst time in the average. So it's still the first method.

 

[Andreaillest]

1. I actually used to choose between which one was better, but now I just do #2.
2. Whatever floats your boat.
3. Probably not.
4. Nah, I do that all the time. It's kind of like "rolling" an avg.

 

[flan]

I have a question of my own...
If say i did an average of 100, and 5 sucsessive solves will give me a pb average of 5, can i say that that is my pb av5 or do i have to do *5 solves, reset timer*...*5 solves, reset timer,* etc like they do in competitions?

 

[Anonymous]

I have a question of my own...
If say i did an average of 100, and 5 sucsessive solves will give me a pb average of 5, can i say that that is my pb av5 or do i have to do *5 solves, reset timer*...*5 solves, reset timer,* etc like they do in competitions?

I'd say that most of the time, when people talk about their PB average of 5, they're talking about a string of five solves within a larger average.

 

[flan]

I have a question of my own...
If say i did an average of 100, and 5 sucsessive solves will give me a pb average of 5, can i say that that is my pb av5 or do i have to do *5 solves, reset timer*...*5 solves, reset timer,* etc like they do in competitions?

I'd say that most of the time, when people talk about their PB average of 5, they're talking about a string of five solves within a larger average.

PHEW

 

[maggotcuber]

I have a question of my own...
If say i did an average of 100, and 5 sucsessive solves will give me a pb average of 5, can i say that that is my pb av5 or do i have to do *5 solves, reset timer*...*5 solves, reset timer,* etc like they do in competitions?

I'd say that most of the time, when people talk about their PB average of 5, they're talking about a string of five solves within a larger average.

i doesnt have to a be a larger average and everage of 5 is and everage of 5, may it be only 5 solves or 100 solves.

 

[RyanO]

However, the only time that everyone uses the first method is when doing an average of 100.

What? If you use CCT probably. But as far as I know, a lot of people do averages of 100 on qqTimer and it removes the best and worst time in the average. So it's still the first method.

I also remove best and worst when doing an average of 100. 1 DNF making an average of 100 a DNF average seems pretty silly.

 

[qqwref]

Yeah, at least removing one best/worst time gives you insurance against the occasional pop or what have you. I wouldn't suggest using a mean unless you absolutely have to (such as 6x6 in competition).

 

[Matt S]

Most people use the second method, as others have said. However, the only time that everyone uses the first method is when doing an average of 100. A lot of people, myself included, consider this to be your "true" average. Whenever I am trying to get sub-X, I don't consider myself to actually have achieved the goal until I get my first 100 cube average that is sub-X. I would venture to say that a lot of people who do 100 cube averages might possibly feel the same way, based on posts I've seen on the forum before.

Chris

I've always been curious how people account for DNFs with when doing averages of 100. My turn accuracy leaves something to be desired, and it would be rare for me to string together 100 solves without having at least one jammed AUF cause me to do an incorrect turn (U coming out as R' for instance) as I put down the cube.