Ask more than one

One odd example can pull the answer the wrong way. What if three examples vote?

The rule

Then the word with the most votes wins. So one odd example can be outvoted. The majority is the word most examples give. A tie means both words have equal votes.

Ask one, three or five nearby examples and let the majority answer. A split vote is reported as a tie. The count shows whether more examples helped.

At 12 marked and 12 kilos, the real word is cut price. One heavy full-price example is nearest, so asking one gives full. The three nearest are one full and two cut. Cut wins, 2 to 1. The vote is now right.

Two piles are tried. The whole pile is all 24 crates. The lightly marked half is 13 crates. Every crate in the half has 7 or fewer marked. Each is scored on the next morning's twenty.

On the whole pile, asking three helps. On the lightly marked half, more voices hurt. Most examples there are full price. So a cut-price crate is outvoted more often.

Try the lab to finish this lesson.