User:Joseph A. Spadaro/Sandbox/Page58
Body composition scale
[edit]See: Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Mathematics/2011 March 19#Calculating one variable from six others
To - StuRat (talk). Hello. I wanted to thank you for all of your help with my questions on the Math Help Desk (about the formulas for metabolism and body age, etc., that you were able to figure out from the body measurement variables). I very much appreciate all the time and effort you put into that; I also appreciate your taking the time to explain to me all of the steps so clearly. I am going to review all of your math explanations in more detail. I may get back to you with some minor follow-up questions, if that's OK. In the meanwhile, though, I wanted to express my appreciation. Many thanks! Your insight was invaluable ... and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you! (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 20:16, 22 March 2011 (UTC))
- Thanks. I'd like to ask you a follow-up question to this issue, if I may. First of all, thanks for all your help so far. Second of all, thanks also for congratulating me on the weight loss. I had to laugh at that because, in the year 2010, I actually lost 30 pounds or so. This data is only from the start of the new year in 2011 ... so the weight loss of 5 pounds or so is only a drop in the bucket, in my mind. Thanks for the congrats, though. Third of all, my follow-up question is this. I essentially understand most of what you stated throughout the thread. However, I am confused as to where did you come up with the actual decimal point results for some of the data? For example, if the Visceral Fat Level (VFL) in my chart was listed at "8" ... how did you determine its more exact / precise value of 7.66850? You did this with all of the VFL numbers, and I was confused as to how you derived the exact decimal point results. When given a rounded result, how did you arrive at the non-rounded exact value (to 5 decimal places) of that data point? Were these just trial-and-error "guesses" until you arrived at the exact / correct result? Or was there some more precise mathematics involved that led you to the correct non-rounded values? If you don't mind, would you please explain this to me at my Talk Page, when and if you have the time to do so. Thanks! (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 16:10, 28 March 2011 (UTC))
- It is essentially trial-and-error, yes. That said, the "transition points" (the top and bottom and where the rounded numbers change), are the places most likely to cause trouble. In the body age calculations, we even had one spot where the rounded ages varied by 2, from 39 to 41, so I started trying to make those numbers work, then tested my results to see if they would work at the other transitions, too. BTW, I would caution against calling my numbers an exact solution. Perhaps "one possible solution consistent with the data provided" would be better. Additional data might mean that the formulas and values would need to be revised (hopefully only slightly). Here's the data in question:
Body Age (rounded)↓ Body Age (not rounded)↓
------------------- -----------------------
41 40.9
41 40.6
39 39.4
39 39.3
39 38.6
38 37.9
38 37.8
38 37.7
38 37.7
37 36.9
37 36.9
- Hi. Thanks again for your help. I will have some follow-up questions in the future that I plan to post on the Wikipedia Reference Desks. The follow-up questions are somewhat related (tangentially) to this issue above. I will be posting them when I get some free time. Perhaps, if you see them, you can also weigh in on the Reference Desks. You seem to frequent those pages, it seems. Thanks again! (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 21:00, 7 April 2011 (UTC))