bpo-43147: Remove archaic terminology. (GH-24462)

diff --git a/Doc/library/statistics.rst b/Doc/library/statistics.rst
index 51b5e9c404c9c872a2eebe9ebda47c04fad8590b..6b6d3154a28810069abcfcc08b1fb83bcf4d6ba1 100644 (file)
--- a/Doc/library/statistics.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/statistics.rst
@@ -162,15 +162,14 @@ However, for reading convenience, most of the examples show sorted sequences.
    real-valued numbers.  If *weights* is omitted or *None*, then
    equal weighting is assumed.
 
-   The harmonic mean, sometimes called the subcontrary mean, is the
-   reciprocal of the arithmetic :func:`mean` of the reciprocals of the
-   data. For example, the harmonic mean of three values *a*, *b* and *c*
-   will be equivalent to ``3/(1/a + 1/b + 1/c)``.  If one of the values
-   is zero, the result will be zero.
+   The harmonic mean is the reciprocal of the arithmetic :func:`mean` of the
+   reciprocals of the data. For example, the harmonic mean of three values *a*,
+   *b* and *c* will be equivalent to ``3/(1/a + 1/b + 1/c)``.  If one of the
+   values is zero, the result will be zero.
 
    The harmonic mean is a type of average, a measure of the central
    location of the data.  It is often appropriate when averaging
-   rates or ratios, for example speeds.
+   ratios or rates, for example speeds.
 
    Suppose a car travels 10 km at 40 km/hr, then another 10 km at 60 km/hr.
    What is the average speed?

diff --git a/Lib/statistics.py b/Lib/statistics.py
index 4b054b961141b423c38e96768232f9e3ea96f423..2414869a7e6dc68e16c2f5d29eb96f211ffa53f9 100644 (file)
--- a/Lib/statistics.py
+++ b/Lib/statistics.py
@@ -367,10 +367,9 @@ def geometric_mean(data):
 def harmonic_mean(data, weights=None):
     """Return the harmonic mean of data.
 
-    The harmonic mean, sometimes called the subcontrary mean, is the
-    reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the reciprocals of the data,
-    and is often appropriate when averaging quantities which are rates
-    or ratios, for example speeds.
+    The harmonic mean is the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the
+    reciprocals of the data.  It can be used for averaging ratios or
+    rates, for example speeds.
 
     Suppose a car travels 40 km/hr for 5 km and then speeds-up to
     60 km/hr for another 5 km. What is the average speed?