Eye Ball Mathematics

[donald at mich.com]

Dear Mike and Steve,

I want to thank both of you for the text that you posted dealing with
Steve's example. I assure you that I have read each several times and
studied both to the best of my ability - but I am sticking on one spot. In
so many words you both say that the best election method is the method that
elects the majority wish of the voters. Wish is my choice of words. You
used different wording.

Mike referred to "..the majority rule standard." and Steve used he words
"..the basic majority rule standard."

"If a full majority of all the voters indicate that they would rather have
B than A, then if we choose A or B, it should be B."

So far - So good.

My question is: How do we know which candidate is the indicated majority
candidate?
             46ABC
             20B
             34CBA

In Steve's example I can eye ball the example and I can tell in my mind
that B has a majority of the choices within the first two selections - but
with a larger example I would not be able to know by eye balling - I will
need some mathematics.

My next question is: What are the mathematics of eye balling?

When I eye ball I am adding the choices of the same candidate together -
but it occured to me that what I am doing is Approval Voting. Is Approval
Voting the mathematics being used when we determine the majority rule
candidate?

Also - why do we add the choices of only the first two selections? Why not
add all three selections?

I await your reply,

Your servant,

Donald