Can we use "vertical one" to substitute "vertical distance"?

[NewHopeR]

Can I edit "The mean distance of the inner ends of the structure was significantly shorter than that of vertical distance" into "The mean distance of the inner ends of the structure was significantly shorter than that of vertical one?"

 

[FreeToyInside]

If you did, you would have to say 'the vertical one', but even still, using 'vertical distance' sounds better and clearer, because you're talking about two different types of distances.

A better edit would be to change it to '... shorter than the vertical distance' because the 'that' of 'than that' is already referring to the distance, so it sounds redundant.


(not a teacher, just a language lover)

 

[emsr2d2]

Can I edit "The mean distance of the inner ends of the structure was significantly shorter than that of vertical distance" into "The mean distance of the inner ends of the structure was significantly shorter than that of vertical one?"

I'm confused by the whole thing. The "mean" is the average of two or more things, which works OK at the beginning of the sentence because you talked about the inner "ends" which is clearly plural. However, you then go on to mention the "vertical distance" which is singular, so I don't see how it can have a "mean" at all, let alone one which is significantly longer than the inner ones.

Is it the mean distance between the inner ends of the structure? Is that distance significantly shorter than the distance between the top and bottom (ie the height)?

 

[NewHopeR]

I'm confused by the whole thing. The "mean" is the average of two or more things, which works OK at the beginning of the sentence because you talked about the inner "ends" which is clearly plural. However, you then go on to mention the "vertical distance" which is singular, so I don't see how it can have a "mean" at all, let alone one which is significantly longer than the inner ones.

Is it the mean distance between the inner ends of the structure? Is that distance significantly shorter than the distance between the top and bottom (ie the height)?

Yeah, that's a dilemma that the original writer has made. :-D

 

[NewHopeR]

If you did, you would have to say 'the vertical one', but even still, using 'vertical distance' sounds better and clearer, because you're talking about two different types of distances.

A better edit would be to change it to '... shorter than the vertical distance' because the 'that' of 'than that' is already referring to the distance, so it sounds redundant.


(not a teacher, just a language lover)

Thank you

 

[5jj]

Thank you

As Barb wrote recently in another thread:

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When you create a new post just to say "thanks," although your intentions are courteous, it leads us to think you must have a follow-on question. If the answer was sufficient, please consider simply clicking "like" and we can all consider the subject closed.