diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/library/statistics.rst | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Lib/statistics.py | 7 |
2 files changed, 8 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/Doc/library/statistics.rst b/Doc/library/statistics.rst index 51b5e9c404c..6b6d3154a28 100644 --- a/Doc/library/statistics.rst +++ b/Doc/library/statistics.rst @@ -162,15 +162,14 @@ However, for reading convenience, most of the examples show sorted sequences. real-valued numbers. If *weights* is omitted or *None*, then equal weighting is assumed. - The harmonic mean, sometimes called the subcontrary mean, is the - reciprocal of the arithmetic :func:`mean` of the reciprocals of the - data. For example, the harmonic mean of three values *a*, *b* and *c* - will be equivalent to ``3/(1/a + 1/b + 1/c)``. If one of the values - is zero, the result will be zero. + The harmonic mean is the reciprocal of the arithmetic :func:`mean` of the + reciprocals of the data. For example, the harmonic mean of three values *a*, + *b* and *c* will be equivalent to ``3/(1/a + 1/b + 1/c)``. If one of the + values is zero, the result will be zero. The harmonic mean is a type of average, a measure of the central location of the data. It is often appropriate when averaging - rates or ratios, for example speeds. + ratios or rates, for example speeds. Suppose a car travels 10 km at 40 km/hr, then another 10 km at 60 km/hr. What is the average speed? diff --git a/Lib/statistics.py b/Lib/statistics.py index 4b054b96114..2414869a7e6 100644 --- a/Lib/statistics.py +++ b/Lib/statistics.py @@ -367,10 +367,9 @@ def geometric_mean(data): def harmonic_mean(data, weights=None): """Return the harmonic mean of data. - The harmonic mean, sometimes called the subcontrary mean, is the - reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the reciprocals of the data, - and is often appropriate when averaging quantities which are rates - or ratios, for example speeds. + The harmonic mean is the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the + reciprocals of the data. It can be used for averaging ratios or + rates, for example speeds. Suppose a car travels 40 km/hr for 5 km and then speeds-up to 60 km/hr for another 5 km. What is the average speed? |