Many journalists say (sometimes jokingly, sometimes not) that they got into the profession because they would not have to deal with a lot of math. For most working reporters, however, that turns out not to be the case. They have to deal with math every day. A good reporter should know how to figure a ratio, an average, a median and a percentage. Here are some web sites that will help you out:
• NilesOnline.com (http://nilesonline.com/stats/)
• Investigative Reporters and Editors (with a terrific math test: http://www.ire.org/education/math_test.html)
• University of North Carolina math competency test for journalists (http://www.unc.edu/~pmeyer/carstat/mathtestquestions.html)
• Poynter.org: Why Math Matters by Chip Scanlan (with additional links) (http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=52&aid=71048)
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Tags: math, math help for reporters, mathematics