It's simple really. In this post (>>36304004) I estimated there to be 86 ponies present at the Hurricane "event" (81 in the picture + Fluttershy, Roid Rage, the two "sisters", and Thunderlane's brother). Assuming Rainbow Dash was the fast at the event, with her 16.5 wingpower, and Fluttershy to be at the bottom, with her 5 wingpower (she raised the overall wingpower by 5 at 18:34 of "Hurricane Fluttershy").

There are 9 known wingpower values, as shown throughout "Hurricane Fluttershy". However, 1 known value is absent (Thunderlane) from the event. Therefore, there were 8 known wingpower values in the event. I have compiled them:

16.5, 5, 8.7, 9.2, 9.7, 9.9, 11, 5.2

(Note, I took the deduced wingpower of Fluttershy instead of her tested value.)

Now to calculate the sample standard deviation.

The sum of the numbers are 75.2 Therefore, it's mean is 9.4. Now, we subtract the mean from each value and square it.

• (16.5 - 9.4)^2 = 50.41
• (5 - 9.4)^2 = 19.36
• (8.7 - 9.4)^2 = 0.49
• (9.2 - 9.4)^2 = 0.04
• (9.7 - 9.4)^2 = 0.09
• (9.9 - 9.4)^2 = 0.25
• (11 - 9.4)^2 = 2.56
• (5.2 - 9.4)^2 = 17.64

Now, we add up all the squared differences to find it's mean. But as it's only a sample, I will divide by the amount of values - 1, instead of the amount of values alone.

The total of the squared differences is 90.41. As there is a sample size of 8 wingpowers, I will divide that by 7, yielding 12.9771.

Finally, I will find it's square root, which comes to 3.6. Thus, the standard deviation of the sample size is 3.6 wingpowers.

Now to apply this into the mass of pegasi present at the event.

With 86 pegasi, with a mean wingpower of 9.4, their total wingpower was only 1 standard deviation away from the minimal wingpower needed. In fact, literally only 1 pony stood in the way of making the hurricane fail. This basically means that the pegasi participating in the event, were mostly 1 standard deviation away from the mean, meaning they were pretty average-skilled pegasi. This also basically means that the superponies, like Rainbow Dash and that blue-haired one, were able to lift up the poorer performing ponies out of the "rut", so that their total wingpower was able to meet the minimal.

To answer the question of why 8 pegasi threw off the record, the answer was simply that there were more pegasi who were let downs than the ones who bailed. With an extra 8 pegasi, the event would of generated, on average, 883.6 wingpower. That's a 116.4 wingpower difference from the record. If those 8 pegasi were holding up the record, than they would all have to be 2+ standard deviations in wingpower, which is highly not probable. The shortest answer is that again, all ponies did not train as hard as Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash. All pegasi considered, their mean wingpower would of had to have been 10.87, but obviously, from the sample of known wingpowers, it fell short about 1.47 wingpowers.

In conclusion, Thunderlane et al did not hold up the record breaking hurricane. Everypony save Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, the blue-haired-constellation-marked, and perhaps Roid Rage, did.

Some supplementary thought.

Lets consider Rainbow Dash an exception (because she is a very special pony). Lets find the standard deviation of all known values save hers.

5, 8.7, 9.2, 9.7, 9.9, 11, 5.2, 9.3,

Doing the math, this time without Rainbow Dash but with Thunderlane, I got a mean of 8.5 and a standard deviation of 2.4035.

As a general rule of statistics, 99.7% of pegasi should be 3 standard deviations away from the mean. However, 99.7% of pegasi would thus have wingpowers of less than 15.7 wingpowers. That is less than what Rainbow Dash has! This basically means, that she is not only in the 1% of pegasi, she is in less than the 0.3% of pegasi!

In fact, Rainbow Dash is 3.32848 standard deviations away from the mean. That basically means that Rainbow Dash has more wing power than 99.9% of all pegasi, in fact, she is 1 in a 1000, which is, according to some estimates, either the entire population of Ponyville, or perhaps even 3 times it's population.

In conclusion Rainbow Dash, is very awesome indeed.

(...)

I derped.

I didn't bother to compensate for the loss of Rainbow Dash and the gain of Thunderlane into the mean in the portion of the calculations where the difference squared of the mean and the values are found. Thus, I have revised my calculations for Rainbow Dash's rarity.

Without Rainbow Dash and with Thunderlane, the mean of course, is still 8.5. The squared differences of the mean from the values are as follows:

• 11 - 6.25
• 9.9 - 1.96
• 9.7 - 1.44
• 9.3 - 0.64
• 9.2 - 0.49
• 8.7 - 0.04
• 5.2 - 10.89
• 5 - 12.25

Thus, the standard deviation is 2.2 wingpower. With a wingpower of 16.5, Rainbow Dash is a full 8 wingpower ahead of everypony else. This means that she is also a full 3.63 standard deviations above everypony else. So, I underestimated her place with the last calculations! She is 20% more awesome!

This go around I'll just estimate the actual worth of 1 bit, if it hasn't been done already that is.

With this picture, I can calculate the length of Fluttershy's eye: link◊(http://totallynotabrony.tumblr.com/post/19763811107/my-little-architecture-scale-is-magic-part-1)

Fluttershy was measured at 202 pixels, with that equating to about 1.05 meters. Her eye measured from the midpoint of the bottom crease to the midpoint of the eyelid was 31 pixels. This means that her eye was 0.161 m long (about 6.3").

Fluttershy's eye measured at 308 pixels. The length of the bit coin was 114.5 pixels. It's depth was 28 pixels. The "depression" was 13.8 pixels away from the edge of the bit, with it's depth being 9 pixels. I'll assume that the crease is on both sides of the bit.

This means that if Fluttershy's eye was in alignment with the bit, we'd get these dimensions for the bit:

0.0599 m wide, 0.0146 m deep, with two depressions that which are 0.0072 m away from the edge of the bit and are 0.0047 m deep.

In smaller units, this means:

59.9 mm wide, 14.6 mm deep, with two depressions that which are 7.2 mm away from the edge of the bit and are 4.7 mm deep.

The bit appears to be in a cylindrical shape so I will assume that it is.

With a radius of 29.95 mm and a height of 14.6 mm, it's volume is 41143.04 mm^3, without the depressions (http://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/geometry-solids/cylinder.php).

The depression is 7.2 mm away from the edge. Assuming the depression is perfectly center, it's diameter should be 59.9 - 7.2 * 2, or, 45.5 mm. Therefore, it's radius is 22.75 mm. Being 4.7 mm deep, gives it a volume of 7642.06 mm^3 (http://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/geometry-solids/cylinder.php).

As I am assuming there are 2 of such depressions, I simply take the total volume of the bit, and subtract the volume of the two depressions to get the total volume of the bit.

41143.04 - 7642.06 * 2 = 25858.92 mm^3 or, 25.85 cm^3.

The density of gold is 19.309 g/cm^3 (http://www.mindat.org/min-1720.html).

I'll assume that the bit is made of 100% gold, simply by it's appearance and the prevalence of gold currency in human civilization.

With a volume of 25.85 cm^3 and made of 100% gold, it's weight comes out to 499.3 g.

The price of gold in modern value has been fluctuating. But as of this post, the price of gold was $52.41 USD per gram (http://goldprice.org/gold-price-per-gram.html).

Thus, 1 bit is worth $26168.83 USD in 2012 currency.

That is obviously troubling. There are 2 readily available remedies to this. The first, is that the bit is not made of gold. bronze, brass, and copper would be the highest contenders, simply based off of appearance, though, silver could also compete, but then I would have to be working under the assumption that it was painted yellow, which would open a box of possibilities that I would wish to avoid.

Thus, I shall examine the bit's possibility of being bronze, brass, or copper, in place of gold.

The density of bronze averaged at 8.15 g/cm^3. The density of brass (yellow) is 8.47 g/cm^3. The density of copper is 8.94 g/cm^3 (http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/metal-alloys-densities-d_50.html).

Bronze costs about $0.33 per troy oz (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_does_bronze_cost_per_ounce). This equates to $0.0106 per gram. Scrap yellow brass averaged at $3.001 per kg between March and August of 2009 (http://www.metalprices.com/freesite/metals/bs/bs_yellow.asp#Tables). This equates to about $0.003 per gram. The price of copper as of June of 2011 was $0.009 per gram (http://www.abcdiamond.com/forum/general-discussion/how-much-does-copper-cost-per-gram/).

Therefore, the corresponding weights and values of such coins would be:

• Bronze - 210.68 g - $2.235
• Brass - 218.95 g - $0.657
• Copper - 231.09 g - $2.079

The other possibility, is that the measurements of the bit were off.

Personally, I think the "bit =/= gold" hypothesis seems more correct, as gold, silver, copper, bronze, and brass were all metals used for coinage by human civilizations like the Romans, and the PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) would seem more correct if the bit were made of a "lesser" metal like bronze or copper, as, I doubt the 3 tomatoes bought by Fluttershy in "Putting Your Hoof Down" would be worth more than 1 (brass) bit (3:55 of "Putting Your Hoof Down").

Though, it's arguable that the bit could be made of another metal, or perhaps, there are different variations of the bit that which are made of incrementally more "priced" metals, as, Soarin' of the Wonderbolts in "Best Night Ever" bought a "full" sized apple pie for a mere 2 bits (9:10 of "Best Night Ever"). Disregarding the greed of the shopkeeper, we can therefore assume that 1 bit could buy 3 tomatoes, and 2 bits could buy a full sized pumpkin pie.

On average, a single Roma tomato weighs about 3 oz (85 g) (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080720102547AAFVx9G). A pound of Roma tomatoes cost on average, in 2008, $1.75 (http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB71/EIB71.pdf). Therefore, in a 1 lb bag of tomatoes, are about 5.3 tomatoes. Thus, such a bag of tomatoes, would cost $0.33 for each tomato. Fluttershy bought 3 tomatoes for 1 bit (after negotiations). In real value, she bought 3 tomatoes for about $1 USD. Thus, 1 bit would correspond highly with the PPP of the currency our society.

Similarly, Soarin' bought an apple pie from Apple Jack for 2 bits in "Best Night Ever". The price of an Apple Pie in our society varies highly with it's producer, but the apple pie I chose, was 6" in diameter and pre-packaged for shipping, which sounds like something an industrious earth pony would do. It cost $7.49 USD for a single apple pie (http://www.katzglutenfree.com/Apple_Pie_Gluten_Free_6_INCH_p/1521.htm). As Soarin' bought an apple pie from Apple Jack for 2 bits, the PPP with this example comes out to $3.75 USD per bit. This again corresponds with the above example to a degree. An obvious remedy would be that the shopkeeper whom Fluttershy bought tomatoes from was correct; and that 2 bits was the fairer price.

In any case, the PPP of a brass/bronze/or copper bit corresponds highly with real life prices of goods. And yes, comparing our society's prices for goods v.s. their society's is relatively okay. Equestria seems to be a well developed society, operating under a stable economic system based around supply/demand. Their prices for goods would seem therefore, to be as stable as ours, and thus, comprable.

Therefore, I conclude that the bit is made of brass/bronze/or copper, and is worth between $0.65 and $2.24 USD in 2012 currency.

This go around, I'll try to estimate the GDP of Ponyville. Yes, it will be an extremely limited estimation, as the bit values of only a few products are known, not to mention there not being anything canon in regards to "Government Expenditures" or Ponyville's import and export statistics. Thus, this measure will again, be very limited, as it's only estimating the food consumption per pony per year, not anything else.

Bits have been used far and few between in the show, but there are several times when a clear exchange rate is shown.

In "Putting Your Hoof Down", an elderly-pony cuts past Fluttershy in line at the asparagus stand. He is seen to have bought a bundle of asparagus for 1 bit (2:18 of "Putting Your Hoof Down"). In the same episode, Fluttershy buys 3 tomatoes for 1 bit after negotiations (3:55 of "Putting Your Hoof Down"). Also in that episode, the shopkeeper sells a single cherry to a mare for 2 bits (6:19 of "Putting Your Hoof Down"). In "Best Night Ever", Soarin' buys a full sized apple pie for 2 bits (9:10 of "Best Night Ever"). In "Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000", Rainbow Dash, and other ponies, pay around 2 bits for a single drink of cider (3:17 of "Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000"). Finally, in "The Ticket Master", a cradle of at least 13 apples is sold by Apple Jack for 8 bits. The density of the apples visible would seem to allow for an additional 3 apples to be beneath the ones visible, totaling in at 16 apples for 8 bits, or, 1 apple for 0.5 bit (2:35 of "The Ticket Master").

So to recap:

• 1 Tomato = 0.33 bit
• 1 Apple = 0.5 bit
• 1 Bundle of Asparagus = 1 bit
• 1 Apple Cider = 2 bits
• 1 Apple Pie = 2 bits
• 1 Cherry = 2 bits

As estimated earlier, a 26 kg pony will require about 2, 180 kcal simply to survive, per day (>>36304003). Lets assume that everypony in Ponyville is again, 26 kg on average, and that, there are 1100 ponies in Ponyville total, and that, they live a life of excess, where food is cheap and readily available.

Before I move on, I should note that the above foods with known bit values are only a portion of Ponyville's diet. Ponies are shown to eat other things, ranging from celery, bananas, carrots and corn, bread, cake and other "sugary" goods. Thus, again, this is a very limited estimate of GDP.

Lets also assume that because the ponies live in excess, they, on a per capita basis, consume twice as much calories per day as they need to to stay alive (this is consistent with the per capita consumption rates of the U.S.)

A bundle of asparagus weighs, on average, 500 g (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_asparagus_are_in_1_bunch). 100 g of asparagus 20 kcal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus#Uses). Thus, a bundle of asparagus, weighing 500 g, has about 100 kcal.

A medium sized tomato, weighing about 123 g, will have about 22 kcal (http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-tomatoes-red-ripe-i11529). Thus, 3 tomatoes would have a total of about 66 kcal.

The average apple weighs about 182 g and has 95 kcal (http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-apples-i9003?size_grams=182.0). Thus, two apples would have about 190 kcal.

A single cherry weighs 6.8 g and has a mere 4 kcal (http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-cherries-sweet-i9070?size_grams=6.8).

Unfortunately, I was unable to get the nutrition information for the pie I selected earlier. So, I did the next best thing and found a 6" diameter pie with a known calorie value. The pie in question has 960 kcal (http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-fabes-6-gluten-free-apple-i87038?size_grams=71.0).

Before I find the calorie information on the cider, I must find approximately how much cider is being served. Again, I used Rainbow Dash as a metric of measure. She is 268 pixels tall in the picture, and assuming she's 1.05 meters tall (>>36303999), would yield a mug height of about meters and a mug width at the neck of 0.145 meters. Though the mug is slanted upwards, it's not slanted too considerably to skew the results of estimating it's volume with the equation for the volume of a cylinder. With a diameter of 0.145 m, it's radius is therefore 0.0725 m (at the neck). Thus it's volume is about 0.00335 m^3 (http://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/geometry-solids/cylinder.php). This translates to a volume of about 3.35 liters, which is, a lot to say the least.

8 fl oz. of "Langer's" Apple Cider has 120 kcal. That's 1703 kcal from a single mug!

So lets do the math. Again, we're assuming every pony in Ponyville weighs 26 kg and is consuming twice their daily BMR. 2180 * 2 = 4360 kcal per day, or, 1, 591, 400 kcal per year.

So, lets first assume that Apple Cider Season is literal, and lasts the entire season of winter (which is 90 days). Lets also assume that per capita wise, every pony gets at least 1 cider per day of the season. 1703 * 90 = 153, 305 kcal.

Next, lets assume that Apples Pies are ate, on a per capita basis, at 1 pie per pony per day. 960 * 365 = 350, 400 kcal.

Then, lets assume that cherries, being delicacies, are only eaten once per week. 4 * 52 = 208 kcal.

Now we move onto the main course; apples, tomatoes, and asparagus. Again, 2 apples have 190 kcal, a bundle of asparagus has 100 kcal, and 3 tomatoes have 66 kcal. Lets assume they're all eaten at a serving ratio of 6:3:1.

To recap, we have to account for 1, 087, 485 kcal, and I have split that in 3 portions with apples dominating.

To account for 728, 614.95 kcal, you'd need about 3834.8 pairs of apples annually.

Asparagus accounts for 2/3 of the remaining 358, 870 kcal, thus, you'd need about 2404.4 bundles of asparagus annually.

Finally, tomatoes account for 1/3 of the remaining 358, 870 kcal, thus, you'd need about 1794.35 servings of tomatoes.

That was tough on everyone.

To recap, here's what my projection of an average pony's annual diet of food would look like:

• 3834.8 pairs of apples
• 2404.4 bundles of asparagus
• 1794.3 "triple" tomatoes
• 52 cherries
• 365 apple pies
• 90 mugs of cider

Thus, with the known bit values of the above, I can estimate the amount of bits a single pony would have to spend annually.

3834.8 + 2404.4 + 1794.3 + (52 * 2) + (365 * 2) + (90 * 2) = 9047.5 bits

Thus, I estimate the average annual per capita consumption of only food of ponies in Ponyville to be 9047.5 bits.

Thus, with a population estimate of 1100 ponies, Ponyville's GDP is at least 9, 952, 250 bits. Remember, GDP consists of more than just personal consumption, so that figure is very limited.

To give a very far off estimate to the overall GDP of Ponyville, we can transplant the goods consumption:overall expenditure ratio of the U.S. In 2010, the U.S. spent about 2.33 trillion on non-durable goods alone (that includes more than just food, but is mostly food) (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/GDP_Categories_-_United_States.png). This means that non-durable goods accounted for a mere 16% of the total U.S. GDP.

If we assume the same ratio for Ponyville (highly unlikely, as Ponyville probably doesn't spend money on defense or anything like we do, but humor this), then Ponyville's overall GDP is 62, 279, 441 bits.

Assuming the bits are bronze (exchange rate of $2.235 USD per bit), then Ponyville's Nominal GDP is $139, 194, 485.3! That's a per capita of $126, 540 per pony!

Of course, these estimates should not be trusted with even a metric tonne of salt as they are very limited and take far too much assumptions.