Alien Death Age

[Collision]

There was a time in an alien society where the median age of an alien was thirty(in our solar years). Six years after this point, the median age for this alien society was 36.

 

Is there anyway this information can imply the age or average age that aliens die in this society? How would that be represented mathematically?

 

I think that birth rate for aliens and death rate are the two important things to take into consideration for this problem, but since I am only in basic algebra now, I don't see the way to figure out the answer, although I am curious. Does any one know how to create a mathematical framework taking into account the limited information given?

[Martin]

In my humble opinion NO

 

 

There NO way this information can imply the age or average age that aliens die in this society.

 

the median age is the age such that half are older than it, and half are younger (aside from any who are exactly that age)

 

so suppose at START we have a population with 1000 29 yearold

and 1000 31 yearold

 

then the median is obviously 30 year

 

now suppose after 6 years none have died and we have 1000 35 years

and 1000 37 years

 

then the median is obviously 36 years

 

so it could happen that aliens never die, or that they all live to be 98 years old

 

now suppose, instead, that 999 of each group die during that 6 year timeperiod

so that by the end of the 6 years we just have 1 who is 35 and 1 who is 37

THEN THE MEDIAN AGE IS STILL 36

 

so if someone tells you median =30 and then 6 years later tells you

median =36 then THEY HAVE TOLD YOU NOTHING about mortality.

 

it could be that nobody ever dies and it also could be that there has been a terrible plague killing almost everybody-----or pretty much anything in between.

 

Of course if they tell you OTHER INFORMATION like the aliens birth rate or the age distribution curve or causes of death and give you all sorts of good extra clues, then you maybe can figure out stuff. But with just that information you said, nix.

 

There was a time in an alien society where the median age of an alien was thirty(in our solar years). Six years after this point' date=' the median age for this alien society was 36.

 

[b']Is there anyway this information can imply the age or average age that aliens die in this society? How would that be represented mathematically?[/b]

 

I think that birth rate for aliens and death rate are the two important things to take into consideration for this problem, but since I am only in basic algebra now, I don't see the way to figure out the answer, although I am curious. Does any one know how to create a mathematical framework taking into account the limited information given?