Editing 2927: Alphabetical Cartogram
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|Created by a SUSPICIOUSLY SMALLER-THAN-USUAL BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | |
− | Wyoming shrank the most | + | This comic shows a map of the {{w|United States}}, with every state resized based on where it appears in an alphabetical list of states. Hence {{w|Alabama}} is the largest state, {{w|Wyoming}} is the smallest. |
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+ | Wyoming shrank the most, while {{w|Delaware}} grew the largest proportionally in geographical size. In the ranking of US states {{w|List of U.S. states and territories by area|by area}}, {{w|Texas}}'s position dropped the most (41 places), while Delaware and {{w|Connecticut}}'s positions rose the most (also 41 places). | ||
This coincides with a recent [https://record.umich.edu/articles/study-alphabetical-order-of-surnames-may-affect-grading/ study] from the University of Michigan showing that the alphabetical order of surnames leads to differences in grading. | This coincides with a recent [https://record.umich.edu/articles/study-alphabetical-order-of-surnames-may-affect-grading/ study] from the University of Michigan showing that the alphabetical order of surnames leads to differences in grading. | ||
− | + | The title text creates a portmanteau of the words “wee,” which means “little,” and “Wyoming,” making fun of how small it is on this map, since "W" appears near the end of the alphabet. | |
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− | The title text creates a portmanteau of the words “wee,” which means “little,” and “Wyoming,” making fun of how small it is on this map, since | ||
Bias resulting from alphabetical order was also the topic of [[2789: Making Plans]]. | Bias resulting from alphabetical order was also the topic of [[2789: Making Plans]]. | ||
− | It should be noted that the resizing is not done perfectly in the drawing. For example, {{w|Vermont}} appears slightly larger than {{w|Texas}}, and {{w|Idaho}} appears smaller than {{w|Missouri}}. The map strikes a balance between actually making the sizes of the states correspond to their alphabetical order, keeping the shapes of the states correct, and making the | + | It should be noted that the resizing is not done perfectly in the drawing. For example, {{w|Vermont}} appears slightly larger than {{w|Texas}}, and {{w|Idaho}} appears smaller than {{w|Missouri}}. The map strikes a balance between actually making the sizes of the states correspond to their alphabetical order, keeping the shapes of the states correct, and making the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contiguous_United_States "lower 48"] states fit together contiguously. The shapes of many states are significantly warped, such as {{w|Maryland}}, {{w|Delaware}}, and {{w|New York}} (which is lacking {{w|Long Island}}). |
The table below ranks the states according to their actual size, their alphabetical order, and their approximate size as they are drawn in the comic. | The table below ranks the states according to their actual size, their alphabetical order, and their approximate size as they are drawn in the comic. | ||
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: right;" | {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: right;" | ||
− | ! rowspan="3" | State | + | ! rowspan="3" | State <!-- column 1 --> |
− | ! colspan="4" | Real Life | + | ! colspan="4" | Real Life <!-- columns 2-5 --> |
− | ! colspan="2" | Listings | + | ! colspan="2" | Listings <!-- columns 6,7 --> |
− | ! colspan="3" | Actual Sizes | + | ! colspan="3" | Actual Sizes<br>in the Comic <!-- columns 8-10 --> |
|- | |- | ||
<!-- column 1 --> | <!-- column 1 --> |