Because it's Friday: The chances of finding Mr/Mrs Right

Speaking of family issues, this video by Emanuele Colombo is adorable:

This being a statistics blog, I have to take a small issue with the calculation, though. Let's look at the math:

7,000,000,000 people
× 0.04 (proportion one person might meet) 
× 0.5 (proportion sexually compatible -- hey, count yourself lucky!)
× 0.08 (proportion age compatible)
× 0.12 (proportion language compatible)
= 1,340,000 potential partners.

As any statistics student will tell you, you can't just multiply all those factors together willy-nilly. For example, the chance of meeting any given person is not independent from the chance they'll be language-compatible — most people you meet will be in your own city/country, of whom more than 12% are likely to speak the same language.

But it's still adorable. (And I'm glad I too have a soulmate who can put up with these geeky obsessions. Thanks, honey!)

Have a great weekend, all. 

Comments

[Pavel]

7,000,000,000 people.
numbers....

[David Smith]

Thanks Pavel. There must be a name for the Internet law where if you correct someone else's math/grammar/facts you are bound to make a similar error yourself. In any case, corrected above.

[JNFoo]

This was awesome... sent it promptly to my wife as you can express what I cannot create!