Logarithmic scale

[Buddy]

OK. As a certain eminent physics student among our number knows, I stopped concentrating 18 months too early when it came to A-level maths.

On the worldometers Coronavirus page, the graphs have the option of linear, which shows a flat line steepening, or logarithmic, which shows a steep line flattening.

Why would one use the latter? Both in what circumstances, and for what reason?

 

[boromike85]

It's because of the way it spreads. If 1 person infected 1 person and then they infected 1 it would spread linearly. If 1 person infects 5 and they each infect 5 then the spread is much more rapid. It tails off quicker at the other end because there aren't enough people left to infect.

 

[bear66]

Logarithmic will also give a faster indication of whether the rate of infection is increasing or decreasing. Are you suppression actions working or not.

 

[Capybara]

Heh! I don't know about others, but I reckoned I could probably pass most of the 'O' and 'A' levels I got good passes in, and which I mostly didn't use in real life, and albeit at lower grades, for about 20 or 25 years after taking them. After that things fell off quite rapidly. You'd be better off Wiki-ing it. I'm down to wondering about 'bus routes these days.

 

[Lefty]

Heh! I don't know about others, but I reckoned I could probably pass most of the 'O' and 'A' levels I got good passes in, and which I mostly didn't use in real life, and albeit at lower grades, for about 20 or 25 years after taking them. After that things fell off quite rapidly. You'd be better off Wiki-ing it. I'm down to wondering about 'bus routes these days.

More evidence of your slide. It used to be train timetables.