A school cohort has two classes. At the end of year 1, all pupils are graded. When listed in grade order, the median pupil is a C. For year 2, the school introduces a new syllabus. Now the median drops to a D. Devise a scenario where the new syllabus improved every pupil's grade.
Super Syllabus Solution
Imagine in year 1, one class gets all Cs and the other gets all Es. If the first class has one more pupil, the median is a C. In year 2, every C improves to a B, and every E improves to a D. If two new pupils join the second class and score a D or below, the cohort median drops to D. The trick: new pupils can join, often unknown in statistics.
Peculiar Poll and Simpson's Paradox
Two polls of 125 people each show the policy is more popular among men. Smith Surveys: men support 21/25 (84%), women 80/100 (80%). Jones Polls: men support 22/100 (22%), women 5/25 (20%). Combining: men overall 43/125 = 34%, women 85/125 = 68%. The policy is actually more popular among women. This is Simpson's Paradox, where trends reverse when data sets are combined.
Anguish Languish Winner
Howard L. Chase's invented language translates English into similar-sounding nonsense. Readers submitted examples. The winner: Edward Barrett for "Myriad Al tell 'em, eats fleas worse wight ass know" (Mary had a little lamb...). Other entries: "Star myrrh scone" (Starmer's gone), "Goods peed KISSED Armour" (Godspeed Kier Starmer).
