Math for Journalists
Math for Journalists
RECENT UPDATES
The Journalist’s Resource: Reporting on Percent Change vs. Percentage Point Change
Four tips to avoid math mistakes
Infographic: Percent Change Versus Percentage-Point Change
GIJN: Interpreting Data – How to Read the Numbers
The Journalist’s Resource: What Journalists Need to Know About Standard Deviation
Calculators, Converters and Other Tools
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Inflation Calculator
West Egg Inflation Calculator
Calculate increases in prices over the years.
Bankrate.com Gas Price Calculators
The Measure of Things
Great for when you need to contextualize numbers. E.g crowd sizes, distances, mass etc.
T. Row Price: Retirement Calculator
National Credit Union Administration Deposit Insurance Estimator
Omni Calculator
Omni Calculator created a collection of tools specifically for journalists. It helps with everyday computations , such as percentages for poll results; contextualizing numbers so the audience inherently understands them, like our weird and wonderful units converter; and other tools, like the time zone calculator for organizing interviews across the world.
Zillow: Mortgage Calculator
Combines comprehensive outputs, showing a mortgage payment in full, with a smooth interface and attractive usability.
Pew Research Center: Middle Class Income Calculator
Percentage Calculator
Using a simple and clean interface, this site lets you calculate percentages three ways: – What is x% of a number? – x is what % of y? – What is the % change between x and y?
Good Calculators
Provides a variety of online calculators, such as math and statistics, engineering and conversion calculators.
CalculateWhat Online Calculators
Convert-Me.com
“Interactive calculators for many measurement systems both commonly used like metric and U.S. Avoirdupois and quite exotic like Ancient Greek and Roman.”
BankRate: Interest Calculator
Track the difference a small percentage change in interest can make on an investment over time.
PhotoMath
Use this iPhone app to point at a written or typed math problem and it will scan and solve it using AI software.
TravelMath.com
Determine distances, flight times, etc. You also can do this by typing into Google the flight time/distance, etc.
Databases, Research and Reference
Aneki.com
Rankings and statistics on hundreds of topics and countries. The world’s cleanest country, the country with the most mobile phones per capita, etc.
Journalist’s Resource: Tips for Journalists Working With Math
Journalist’s Resource: Statistics for Journalists Tipsheet
The Journalist’s Resource: Reporting on Percent Change vs. Percentage Point Change
Four tips to avoid math mistakes
Infographic: Percent Change Versus Percentage-Point Change
Robert Niles: Statistics Writers Should Know
An excellent reference primer from Robert Niles on stats for journalists.Start here with several math tutorials!
National Center for Business Journalism: Newsroom Math Crib Sheet
Great math shortcuts and formulas from Steve Doig.
GIJN: 5 Things Journalists Need to Know About Statistical Significance
Denise Ordway offers tips to avoid some of the most common errors related to statistical significance in academic studies.
Poynter: How to Make Sense of Numbers in Science and Health Reports
GIJN: 5 Things Journalists Need to Know About Statistical Significance
Denise Ordway offers tips to avoid some of the most common errors related to statistical significance in academic studies.
Research Statistical Terms Primer for Journalists
Great primer from Harvard.
Making Numbers Count
Slides form NICAR 22 presentation on how to write with data, by Holly Hacker and Jen LaFleur.
Investopedia: How the Dow Jones Is Calculated
John Allen Paulos: Mathematics
John Allen Paulos is a great source for math for journalists. He is a Professor of Mathematics at Temple and is a regular columnist on ABCNews.com.
GIJN: Interpreting Data – How to Read the Numbers
Math Mistakes
Common errors by reporters, advertisers, politicians and activists.
Eric Weisstein’s World of Mathematics
Stats.org
Explores how journalists can use statistics.
WebMath
More than 1,000 pre-solved problems, many with free answers, for geometry, trig, algebra, etc. A very handy site for journalists.
Pew Research Center: The Daily Number
Daily stat “that highlights an important finding or trend.”
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index Database
Select an item (gas, food, etc.) and track price increases nationally over time. Great quick reference for stories.
STEM, Research and Writing Resources for Journalists
Math, science, research, writing and other tools reporters will find handy.
History of Mathematics Archive
Searchable, and browsable by topics.
Encyclopedia of Mathematics
More than 8,000 entries.
Institute for Analytic Journalism
Nieman Lab: Can We Make it Easier for Readers to Digest Numbers?
The Journalist’s Resource: What Journalists Need to Know About Standard Deviation
Fun with Math
WeirdConverter.com
A great site for analyzing numbers and coming up with odd facts and figures for stories. It’s great for comparing sizes, weights and gives the reader some perspective.
Check Your Weight on Other Planets
DeathClock.com
How many seconds do you have left?
Mathematics of Tsunamis
The math and physics rules that govern them.
Math Basics
We wanted to share a good example of how to put some large numbers or obscure measurements into context that the average reader can relate to:
Q. Is there some way to put 488 acres into context, i.e., what is that as big as?
A. One acre is equivalent to 43,560 sq. feet or 4,840 sq. yards. One football field is equivalent to 57,240 Sq. feet. So one acre is 76% the size of a football field. In the Midwest, farms were homesteaded and also sold by the railroads in quarter sections. A section is 640 acres. A section is also one square mile. A quarter section is 160 acres. Three quarter sections add up to 480 acres. Where I am from in Iowa the farmers often talk in terms of how many farms a person has. If the farm was 488 acres the farmer would call that three farms or 3/4 of a section. Or just 488 acres.
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