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{{comic | {{comic | ||
| number = 12 | | number = 12 | ||
− | | date = | + | | date = <!--DO NOT ADD 2006-01-01 - this was NOT the actual post date of the comic, but merely the default date in the xkcd database. These comics do not have a known post date--> |
| title = Poisson | | title = Poisson | ||
− | | image = | + | | image = Poisson.jpg |
| titletext = Poisson distributions have no value over negative numbers | | titletext = Poisson distributions have no value over negative numbers | ||
+ | | imagesize = | ||
}} | }} | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | [[Cueball]] expresses himself as a {{w|Poisson distribution}} | + | In this comic, [[Cueball]] expresses himself as a {{w|Poisson distribution}}. |
− | + | Per Wikipedia, in mathematics, a {{w|Poisson distribution}} is a distribution that shows the probability of a given number of events occurring in a fixed interval of time or space. The horizontal axis typically represents the “number of events” while the vertical axis is a decimal representing the probability (i.e. 0.5 for 50% probability) a given number of events will occur in that fixed interval of time or space. It is commonly represented by a bar graph, or a point graph (sometimes with a line connection to show a trend, even though there is no actual value for non-integers). | |
− | + | A simple example is the number of heads coming up on a fair coin flip. The distribution for one coin flip should be 0.5 at 0 heads and 0.5 at 1 heads; for 2 coin flips, the distribution would be 0.25 at 0 heads, 0.5 at 1 heads and 0.25 at 2 heads; Etc. Multiple graphs like this are sometimes overlaid on one graph with a legend to distinguish the points (one coin flip in red, two coin flips in blue, etc). | |
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+ | What's important to note for this comic is that this distribution only has data points on non-negative integers and is not continuous through decimal numbers or (as the image text tells us) negative numbers because events can’t occur 0.3 of a time, or -2 times. | ||
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+ | After implying that the concept of a person being a mathematical distribution is irrational, [[Black Hat]] suggests he is “less than zero”. Since the Poisson Distribution doesn’t exist or has no value at negative values, Cueball either leaves or disappears magically. | ||
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+ | Hence, the punchline is the same as the image text: Cueball doesn't exist to Black Hat anymore, because he has a value less than zero. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | + | [A stick figure says to another black-hat-wearing figure.] | |
− | + | Man: I'm a poisson distribution! | |
− | + | Man: Still a poisson distribution. | |
− | + | Hat Guy: What the hell, man. Why do you keep saying that? | |
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− | + | Man: Because I'm totally a poisson distribution. | |
− | + | Hat Guy: I'm less than zero. | |
− | |||
− | + | [Man is gone; Hat Guy is whistling.] | |
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
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− | {{ | + | * This is the first appearance of [[Black Hat]] in [[xkcd]]. |
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+ | * [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] was still experimenting with character design, as [[Cueball]] has a face in the first two frames. | ||
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+ | {{Comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]] | ||
− | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Math]] |
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