back-of-the-envelope
adjective
: done quickly to provide a rough estimate : not exact
did a back-of-the-envelope calculation
His method is, in effect, a back-of-the-envelope time-and-motion study.—
Ian Stewart
Ian StewartExamples of back-of-the-envelope in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To the contrary, the vast, vast, vast majority of rides are without incident, and though there’s no rigorous way to compare underground to above ground, a back-of-the-envelope analysis suggests the former is actually safer than the latter.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 Dec. 2024
The remaining amount — somewhere around $500 million, based on my back-of-the-envelope calculation — deserves careful scrutiny.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024
Our back-of-the-envelope analysis puts the median age of the cable MNF base at around 48 years, while ABC’s is about 57 years.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Dec. 2024
At a price of $30 per month per user, back-of-the-envelope math equates to $3.6 million annually for 10,000 employees.
—Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
Precise figures are tricky to obtain but, according to a back-of-the-envelope calculation by Inogwabini, just a few dozen of the perhaps 300 scientists publishing on conservation topics related to the Congo Basin are from the DRC itself.
—Byemmet Livingstone, science.org, 3 Oct. 2024
Since the Treasury re-introduced the 20-year bond in monthly auctions four years ago, their sale has tacked on roughly $2 billion a year in interest expenses on top of what the government would have otherwise paid, a simple back-of-the-envelope calculation shows.
—Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2024
Maybe the dollars don’t line up as cleanly for the Big Ten Network as our back-of-the-envelope math suggests.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 17 July 2024
The problem with this kind of back-of-the-envelope math is that Musk’s assumptions can be off by orders of magnitude.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 3 July 2024
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New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 Dec. 2024
The remaining amount — somewhere around $500 million, based on my back-of-the-envelope calculation — deserves careful scrutiny.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024
Our back-of-the-envelope analysis puts the median age of the cable MNF base at around 48 years, while ABC’s is about 57 years.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Dec. 2024
At a price of $30 per month per user, back-of-the-envelope math equates to $3.6 million annually for 10,000 employees.
—Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
Precise figures are tricky to obtain but, according to a back-of-the-envelope calculation by Inogwabini, just a few dozen of the perhaps 300 scientists publishing on conservation topics related to the Congo Basin are from the DRC itself.
—Byemmet Livingstone, science.org, 3 Oct. 2024
Since the Treasury re-introduced the 20-year bond in monthly auctions four years ago, their sale has tacked on roughly $2 billion a year in interest expenses on top of what the government would have otherwise paid, a simple back-of-the-envelope calculation shows.
—Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2024
Maybe the dollars don’t line up as cleanly for the Big Ten Network as our back-of-the-envelope math suggests.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 17 July 2024
The problem with this kind of back-of-the-envelope math is that Musk’s assumptions can be off by orders of magnitude.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 3 July 2024
Dictionary Entries Near back-of-the-envelope
Cite this Entry
“Back-of-the-envelope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-of-the-envelope. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
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