Average or Median?

Steve-o_54 · February 9, 2018, 3:20pm

I’m trying to decide which I should go by for the recommended percentages for flavor the “Average” or
the “Median” (for percentages in recipes) I understand the taste is subjective and that some flavors / layers will be either higher or lower depending on the layering that you are trying to create any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Ronni · February 9, 2018, 3:25pm

I am using median, due to it being the “midpoint” and less affected by over usage (but only in mixes). It is something that i use as a start point, and depending on how i want the flavor to come through i go a little up or down from there. I would say it is always best to start low and work your way up, but i am terrible at following my own advice.

Mizzz_Z_Hobbit · February 9, 2018, 3:27pm

The average can be thrown way off by people making a base where the % is really high like this example you posted, 66% is for a base. Usually if you read the notes it gives you a better idea. For myself, I use the median as a guide and may go a pinch higher or lower depending on what people are describing in the notes.

Steve-o_54 · February 9, 2018, 3:35pm

That’s what I’m thinking I have been going with the median
Thanks!
Steve

Steve-o_54 · February 9, 2018, 3:38pm

I have mostly used the median unless the notes say the flavor is really strong or really weak then I tweak it up or down
Thanks Mizz!
Steve

jay210 · February 9, 2018, 4:03pm

I’m guessing “average” means the mean (Strictly speaking, mean , mode and median are all different types of average…or so I was taught in school, last century. Maybe terminology has changed in the interim ? otherwise, it’s rather ambiguous)

Anyway, i do agree with previous posters on that question. I also go by the median.

I’d like to add that i don’t trust the system to calculate averages properly. I wonder what the heck the algorithms look like? I’ve seen instances of the “average” coming out higher than the maximum! Wish I’d noted where.

Lolly · February 9, 2018, 4:08pm

I tend to consider the median AMQ along with the flavour notes of members who I respect and have similar tastes to me when making a decision.

Agree

woftam · February 9, 2018, 11:45pm

When testing quite often I use 75% of the median as a start point and go up or down from there as required.

daath · February 10, 2018, 12:12am

I use whichever is lower, which is usually the median, and subtract a little

daath · February 10, 2018, 12:14am

That can’t be right? The average is just all instances added together divided by the number of instances… I’d like to see examples ;D

EDIT: I should remove outliers, but it’s just pure average…

jay210 · February 10, 2018, 12:35am

yes! it surely can’t be right! and that’s why I wish I’d noted where ( it’s so hard to believe, otherwise) but I was too damned busy with some silly little thing like mixing !

it just occured to me that maybe, sometimes a new maximum figure is added into the average calculation ahead of the maximum display figure being updated? that could do it, couldn’t it?
I mean the sequence could go something like:

update maximum and mininum figures
calculate new average
display new average
update j2’s display
display new maximum (oops! too late)
make little electronic hahaha noises at j2’s expression of disbelief (though I can’t say I actually heard that bit)
Given that I spend a lot of time trying to make some sort of sense of the rather thin stats on little-used PG-free brands( such that, if you removed the outliers, there’d be nothing left to go on at all ), weird things like that are a whole lot more likely to happen to me .

anon28032772 · February 10, 2018, 1:40am

I think the flavor notes are often more interesting than just looking at average/median use (and that’s where single flavor testing and taking notes comes in handy). Some people overuse flavors so much it’s not funny. Also not everybody is mixing for the same type of atty’s. People who will use MTL or use commercial tanks will likely use a higher flavor % than people who vape on RDAs.

The other day I mixed 2% TPA VBIC and it was taking over the recipe completely, my fruit flavors were all lost in it. Median in mix is listed as 3% and average even 3.9%. SF testing and taking notes is always your best bet.

Steve-o_54 · February 10, 2018, 3:36am

I have seen where the Median is Higher and sometimes lower then the average that’s what makes me
curious which to go by
Thanks Jay

jay210 · February 10, 2018, 3:44am

Oh! I agree. But, a lot of the time I’m looking at flavours (like many of the MF flavours hint, hint) that nobody’s made any notes on.

I’m mixing for MTL myself, and usually remember say so in my notes, but oddly enough, I’m finding that it usually makes little or no difference to the % flavour that I prefer, compared with the RDA folk! So, I dunno what to make of that rule.