Are You a Good Estimator?
Learning and science
estimation quiz
SHOW HN2025
How HN took it
1 positive, 3 neutral or asking, 2 mixed, 1 critical, out of 7 comments about the project. Thread score 0.00.
Idea: 1 for, 1 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Interesting and fun to take, comparing results to the study
From 2 comments
Took it (didn't go too well score-wise). Would be nice to have the units for each question on top. Or in the input boxes themselves. I was on mobile and had to scroll down to see…
jmpavlec on HNFun test. 4/10 I never realized how absolutely massive a blue whale can be!
harshalizee on HN
Objections
Scores marked wrong when answers were close; grading is binary trivia rather than estimation
From 1 comment
Total volume of the Great Lakes Your estimate: 10,000 to 25,000 cubic miles Correct answer: 22,684 cubic miles Uhhhh... pretty sure I was right and it marked it wrong. --- Also,…
madamelic on HN
Units unclear, especially cubic miles and billions
From 2 comments
Took it (didn't go too well score-wise). Would be nice to have the units for each question on top. Or in the input boxes themselves. I was on mobile and had to scroll down to see…
jmpavlec on HNI definitely messed up some units, particularly a million/billion. Two were really close to my estimates but still outside. One I could have gotten it right if I thinked a bit…
kykat on HN
Mobile layout hides units; number inputs lack separators
From 2 comments
Took it (didn't go too well score-wise). Would be nice to have the units for each question on top. Or in the input boxes themselves. I was on mobile and had to scroll down to see…
jmpavlec on HNOne quick improvement would be to style the number boxes to include decimal separators. For a few answers I was squinting to check if I had typed six or seven zeroes, for example.
piaste on HN
Requests
Show how far off answers were, not just right or wrong
From 2 comments
It would be nice to how wrong I was, as in, off by 1 order of magnitude or 5 orders of magnitude. Because I was super close on some of them.
galumptuous on HNTotal volume of the Great Lakes Your estimate: 10,000 to 25,000 cubic miles Correct answer: 22,684 cubic miles Uhhhh... pretty sure I was right and it marked it wrong. --- Also,…
madamelic on HN
Show units above or inside input boxes
From 1 comment
Took it (didn't go too well score-wise). Would be nice to have the units for each question on top. Or in the input boxes themselves. I was on mobile and had to scroll down to see…
jmpavlec on HN
Use a slider for ranges
From 1 comment
Took it (didn't go too well score-wise). Would be nice to have the units for each question on top. Or in the input boxes themselves. I was on mobile and had to scroll down to see…
jmpavlec on HN
Add decimal separators to number inputs
From 1 comment
One quick improvement would be to style the number boxes to include decimal separators. For a few answers I was squinting to check if I had typed six or seven zeroes, for example.
piaste on HN