Way OT: Math help for work

Submitted by UMfan21 on
It's been many years since I used any advanced math, but I need it now. I'm desperate to solve a problem at work, so I am begging for mgohelp


I'm working on some pricing that has three variables that all depend on one another:

Variable1: 7 distinct categories
Variable2: 6 distinct categories
Variable3: whole numbers 1-50

What I'm trying to do is look at a months total spend, and calculate how much of the total can be attributed to each variable

Variable1 is non-linear
Variable 2 is a step function
Variable 3 is non linear.

Sorry for wasting mgospace, I'm just thoroughly stumped.

UMfan21

April 15th, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^

Yes, I don't know how to prove this, other than if you search some of my past topics, you will see I have mentioned living in Oregon several times.

In the "What was your family like" topic yesterday I also mentioned my age (8 years old when I moved to A2 in 1988), so you can see I've been out of college for 8 years

Engin77

April 15th, 2011 at 4:51 PM ^

grandmother of eight who was about to receive an undergraduate degree; clearly, she was still in college, despite having been born in 1938. Admittedly, I do not know when (or if) she moved to Ann Arbor.

You may want to spend some time on your logic skills, as well as your math skills.

Z

April 15th, 2011 at 4:41 PM ^

From your topic I can't tell how this would be advanced math, but maybe because I'm missing something.

It seems to me like it would be something you can solve using a pivot table in excel.

UMfan21

April 15th, 2011 at 9:59 PM ^

Pivot tables are great for comparing two independent variables, but I can't get my brain to figure out a pivot with three DEPENDENT variables and compare them over time. Maybe it can be done, but I stared at the pivot table all day and couldn't come up with a valid solution.

notYOURmom

April 15th, 2011 at 9:22 PM ^

Variables w distinct categories could be ordered (say, smallest =1; largest = 7) or not (say, 7 different locations). In the first case, I can see what nonlinear might mean; but not in the 2nd case. So, a good response would require more info about the problem.
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<br>Look up Prof Brown's email at the bschool; I bet she could help not that I know her personally nudge nudge wink wink.

UMfan21

April 15th, 2011 at 9:56 PM ^

Appreciate your help. in this case those categories do increase as you go "up", but one increases as a step function, the other as a non-linear function (think asymptotic)
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<br>909dewey up above is in the same industry as me, so I think he might be my best bet. If we can't figure it out, maybe I will look for this prof you mention.
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<br>Thanks again, let's go back to sports now.