Frank runs a web site that shows the history of the UK National Lottery. Frank has lots of interesting tables, charts and analyses on his site and I got involved. I suggested a couple of revisions to his Chi Squared analysis and last I heard he was working on my ideas. Let me point out that Frank's site is unofficial and at the end of his home page you will read this disclaimer: These pages are not in any way associated with the Camelot Group plc. The draw results on which the presented information is based has been checked thoroughly but can not be treated as an official source. Analysis methods are subject to my personal interpretation and shared with you for interest only. Past lottery results cannot predict future results and this site is intended to indicate trends only. Because this site is operated by an individual there may be occasions when information has not been updated to include the latest draw. Furthermore, I will not be held accountable for any winnings or loss of winnings or monies spent through the use of the information provided. Sensible disclaimer, Frank! DW

Cabell wrote, too, with an interesting spreadsheeting/statistical question that I am in the middle of exploring. Cabell offered me a solution to a problem and I offered her a revised solution. We're talking! This could become a page, too! DW

Looks like I've made another friend in a far flung place! Jaunita wrote again with another few questions on statistics and definitions. I worked through them line by line and turned my answers into a new page on my web site. Well worth a look! DW

Back to Yorkshire! I drove up on Friday afternoon and took it easy, enjoying the facility of cruise control. It's a breeze to take your foot off the accelerator and be able to stretch one's legs and so forth. Being so tall is a problem for me and I normally get a jippy hip on long drives. So cruise control gets rid of that then. Brother Angus has a Beemer too but he never uses his cruise control as (a) he's an erratic driver I think so (b) he never gets into a position for his speed to settle and (c) he's not that tall. Anyway arrived, had a bite to eat and then off to one of Halifax's finest hostelries wherein libations ensued and blether, swearing and gay badinage were all the rage. Back for a nightcap, more blether and then some fitful sleep as the pay back was that I caught a case of the hiccups at some unearthly hour. Woke up to a slightly thick head for some reason and feeling a bit the worse for wear. Not understandable as we didn't drink that much. Age at the root of it all, perhaps? Went for a walk round Halifax with Neville the brother in law as sister Susan went to the hairdresser's. It lashed it down as we toured the Piece Hall so we had to invest in an umbrella apiece: cost me all of £1.99 for the pleasure! Then it stopped raining and became sunny. Still, one needs about five umbrellas doesn't one? Took a walk round Ogden Water, a couple of miles out of Halifax and that's a nice place as you can see from the photographs I uploaded realier. Time pressures meant we couldn't ramble for very long but I'd liked to have. I recommend a walk there if you're ever in the area: lots of birds, trees, tranquility and the vista is more than acceptable. Tootled off to Hebden Bridge to collect son Daniel and his partner Max. Another hostelry experience ensued but as I was driving I stuck to lemonade whilst they all drank dirty beer and wine! Susan rustled up a more than adequate lasagne for supper and once we had been joined by sister Fiona and hubby Danny we went to yet another hostelry where I enjoyed only a small amount of beer due to the hangover from last night. A good loud blethering session followed as we braved a large bar in the centre of Halifax where at one stage I was afraid of being the "oldest swinger in town" but there were older!! The sight of the night was that of two young ladies squatting in doorways opposite with knickers round their knees as they partook of a micturition session ... all over the place ... in public, in full view of at least a dozen people: have they no shame? Still a good time was had by all and a little bit of red wine helped the land of Nod to beckon readily. Up and about in time to do the Tod Rag's cryptic crossword and finished it all but for one and a half clues: Susan and Neville provided the answers to those. Left Halifax at just after 1 pm and got home three hours later, allowing for a short stop half way back. I have a sneaking suspicion that I might have been caught speeding by one of those wretched cameras that they have on all our roads these days. Only one or two mph in it, mind ... I'm waiting for the postman to announce the verdict in a few days' time. Here endeth the weekend's report. DW

Jaunita wrote, I think from Namibia with this question, that elicited that answer! Could you please give and explain to m the arithmetic formula to work out Mean, Mode and Median. I'm study at the moment but can't understand the formula. Thanks Jaunita Hello Jaunita, The arithmetic formula for each of the mean, the median and the mode are fairly simple and with a bit of practice they will be easy for you. The mean is the same as the arithmetic mean and is what we normally use when we calculate an average figure add together all the numbers you have and divide them by the total number of numbers For example, find the arithmetic mean of 6,9,2,6,3,8,9,2,4,6: 6+9+2+6+3+8+9+2+4+6 ÷ 10 (because there are 10 numbers altogether) = 55 ÷ 10 = 5.5 The mode is the number in a set of numbers that occurs most often: that is, in a set of numbers we might find that some numbers occur more than once and the mode is the one that there are most of. For example, from the list we just saw 6,9,2,6,3,8,9,2,4,6 the frequencies of each number are 2 = 2 3 = 1 4 = 1 6 = 3 8 = 1 9 = 2 Since there are more of number 6 than any other number, the mode is number 6 The median is the middle value in a set, or list, of values. To find the median we need to put the list in order and then find the number in the middle. For example, using the list we have already used, we find: 2 2 3 4 6 6 6 8 9 9 It’s best when there is an odd number of numbers as we can see here when we have 10 numbers and really there is no number in the middle. What we do now is to take the numbers on either side of the middle, add them together and divide them by 2 … easy in this case: (6 + 6)/2 = 6 So the median number is 6. I hope that’s clear Juanita. Try finding the mean, median and mode from these lists, Juanita and confirm the answers I have given below. 6 8 5 4 8 8 3 7 7 6 mean 6.2 median 6.5 mode 8 And again: 9 6 12 9 6 7 6 12 17 20 17 mean 11 median 9 mode 6 Where in the world are you Jaunita? Just interested. DW

Another trip back up to Yorkshire over the weekend. The car behaved itself very well and a good time was had by all even though it got a bit nippy at night. I went to a place called Ogden Water with sister Susan and her husband Neville: here are a couple of snaps thereof. Notice how low the water is: hosepipe bans next year unless I'm much mistaken! There'll be more about that trip before long. DW