Editing 904: Sports
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| β | A random number generator is any object or program that arbitrarily selects and produces a number from within a pre-defined range of numbers. For example, a single six-sided die will produce any integer between 1 and 6, inclusive. In an unweighted random number generator, every number that it can possibly produce has the same odds of coming up. When rolling a single {{w|Dice#Manufacturing|precision die}}, for instance, there is an equal chance of rolling a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. Conversely, in a weighted random number generator, some numbers are more likely to come up than others. | + | A random number generator is any object or program that arbitrarily selects and produces a number from within a pre-defined range of numbers. For example, a single six-sided die will produce any integer between 1 and 6, inclusive. In an unweighted random number generator, every number that it can possibly produce has the same odds of coming up. When rolling a single {{w|Dice#Manufacturing|precision die}}, for instance, there is an equal chance of rolling a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. Conversely, in a weighted random number generator, some numbers are more likely to come up than others. A {{w|Dice#Loaded_dice|loaded die}}, such as those used by swindlers to cheat at gambling, is an example of a weighted random generator. |
All sports generate numbers that are inherently random. Home runs, goals, sacks, passes, shots, hits, misses, errors, and many more such statistics are generated in every match of every sports game. The rules of the particular sport, as well as the skill of the participants, introduces bias toward certain values; hence, sports matches are weighted random number generators. | All sports generate numbers that are inherently random. Home runs, goals, sacks, passes, shots, hits, misses, errors, and many more such statistics are generated in every match of every sports game. The rules of the particular sport, as well as the skill of the participants, introduces bias toward certain values; hence, sports matches are weighted random number generators. | ||
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The title text applies this to financial/stock results/forecasts as well and, most appropriately, to ''{{w|Dungeons & Dragons}}'' (''D&D''), a tabletop role-playing game. In ''D&D'' the players and {{w|Dungeon Master}} are forging a narrative about the characters and world they have collectively made up; the players all decide on courses of action (such as negotiating with townspeople, intimidating nobles, attacking monsters, to name a tiny fraction of possibilities) and whether they succeed is determined by rolling dice of various numbers of sides. The numerical results are woven into a narrative by the Dungeon Master. | The title text applies this to financial/stock results/forecasts as well and, most appropriately, to ''{{w|Dungeons & Dragons}}'' (''D&D''), a tabletop role-playing game. In ''D&D'' the players and {{w|Dungeon Master}} are forging a narrative about the characters and world they have collectively made up; the players all decide on courses of action (such as negotiating with townspeople, intimidating nobles, attacking monsters, to name a tiny fraction of possibilities) and whether they succeed is determined by rolling dice of various numbers of sides. The numerical results are woven into a narrative by the Dungeon Master. | ||
| β | This strip is one of several in which [[Randall]] | + | This strip is one of several in which [[Randall]] attempts to trivialize sports (see for instance [[1107: Sports Cheat Sheet]], [[1480: Super Bowl]] and [[1507: Metaball]]). |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
