Regret the Error » numerical errors

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:00:46 +0000

An article on Wednesday about the expansion of a federal program meant to help some homeowners whose home values have declined sharply misstated, in some editions, the amount of spending power that would be added to the American economy if 10 million more homeowners refinanced and saved an average of $200 a month. It is $24 billion, not $240 billion. Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:00:17 +0000

In the report headed Lindsay on a record run, (Countryman, November 10, page 5) it was incorrectly stated that Lindsay Cannon was looking at a grain crop of 600,000700,000 tonnes. The crop estimate is actually 60007000 tonnes. Countryman apologises for the error.

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:30:37 +0000

In our article on Europe’s bail-out plan (“No big bazooka”, October 29th 2011) we incorrectly said that Greece’s partners would have to lend €100 billion more than the €109 billion they promised in July. In fact they plan to lend €130 billion in total. Sorry. Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:00:10 +0000

In our report on the inquest into the death of Amy Winehouse in last Thursday’s Metro, we said she was ‘five times over’ the drink-drive limit. In fact, the singer had 416mg of alcohol per decilitre of blood, five times the limit of 80mg, or four times over the limit.

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:00:02 +0000

Describing Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramics biennial a piece said that “Portmeirion’s Staffordshire factory . . . now produces 140,000 pots a day”. That should have been 140,000 pots a week (Stoke inspired as it reclaims china trade from far east, 3 October, page 11).

In an Oct. 21 story about the 1940 massacre of Polish officers and others by the Soviet secret police, The Associated Press erroneously reported that about 2,000 were killed in the Katyn forest. The death toll was more than 20,000.

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:00:06 +0000

With a story covering the health secretary’s call for people to cut calories, a chart appeared, headed Obesity in the UK: Number of people treated for obesity as in-patients. Surveying the past decade, it showed 10.57 million people being treated in 2009-10, ranging down to 1.05 million in 2000-01 – a startlingly large segment of the population to be treated in hospital for this condition in itself. In fact the figures – taken from the Health Episode Statistics (HES) – should have been expressed in thousands, hence 10,571 people treated in 2009-10, ranging to 1,054 in 2000-01. The numbers were for England alone (Lansley obesity plan branded ‘worthless’, 14 October, page 8 turned from page 1). Link

Know thyself

Craig Silverman — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:00:51 +0000

The Wall Street Journal Europe had average daily circulation of 100,769 in 2002. In some editions Friday, a graphic with a Corporate News article about the paper incorrectly stated the 2002 circulation as 101,769. Link

Fuzzy (hypothetical) numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:30:11 +0000

In the Sept. 21 “Moneybox,” Annie Lowrey miscalculated a hypothetical scenario about how long it would take Mark Zuckerberg to become a trillionaire, saying it wouldn’t be possible within 50 years. Under the hypothetical (though highly unlikely) circumstances, he would reach $1 trillion well within 50 years. Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:30:03 +0000

In “Tories take donations from firm behind 200% loans” (News, last week, page 11), we noted that one man “nearly bought a £ 7,000 car from ACF that would have ended up costing him £ 325 a month over 60 months, a total cost of £ 19,500, equivalent to an interest rate of almost 200%.” This is not an interest rate (which would be an annual or monthly figure) of 200%. It is a total interest payment of 178% of the original loan spread over five years, which would give an APR of just over 51%. Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:30:13 +0000

In a July 18 “Politics,” David Weigel misstated the number of Rebuild the Dream house parties over the weekend of July 16. There were 1,600, not 15,000. Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:30 +0000

A June 15 article about a cargo sailboat docking in Brooklyn incorrectly stated the tonnage of bananas being carried by a nearby ship. The ship had 1,241 tons of bananas aboard, according to a port official; the article incorrectly said it was carrying 20,000 tons of bananas. Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:32 +0000

In reporting the current dispute about planned changes in public-sector pensions, an occasional reference in our pages has proved not to be immune from an error now widespread in media reports – to the effect that employees are facing a “3.2% increase” in the average contributions required from them. That should be an increase of 3.2 percentage points or – given that the current average contribution level is upwards of 6% of salary – an increase of about 50% (Flight from £140bn council pension pot risks ‘chaos on the stock market’, 24 June, page 18; Pensions concession for low-paid workers, 17 June, page 2). Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:00:19 +0000

Because of an editing error, an article on Thursday about the New York Public Library’s acquisition of the archive of Timothy Leary misstated the amount the library paid the Leary estate for the collection. It was $900,000, not “$900,00.” Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:00:09 +0000

The On Soccer column on May 26, about charges of corruption within FIFA, soccer’s international ruling body, misstated the year for which Qatar has been awarded the rights to hold the World Cup. It is 2022, not 2002. Link

Housing shortage abated

Craig Silverman — Mon, 30 May 2011 15:00:50 +0000

There are 9,000 condo corporations in Ontario. A May 25 article about issues at the condo located at 40 Panorama Court in Toronto incorrectly stated there are 9,000 condos in Ontario. Link