Common Formulae: Part One

If we are successful in coordinating data and creating some sort of "common language" (as described in previous posts), in some way on Long Island can we construct a series of formulae (however ultimately defined) which will aid us in our analysis and ultimately in our decision-making process?

I am using formulae in the broadest sense of the word here and only as a concept (since I make no claims on any expertise in this area!).

For example to determine the number of housing units linked to job growth needed on Long Island maybe a partial formula could include:

If reasonable workforce housing should cost between $ and $$$ and if X acres of land that can be developed is available on Long Island and Y number of people current reside on Long Island and Z number of people is the sustainable population limit of Long Island and there is XX number of land parcels that can be developed for business development on Long Island and Long Island Business employs YY number of people and there is sustainable limit of ZZ number of employees on Long Island and the average wage of employees should be between AAA and BBB to afford workforce housing THEN Long Island needs AAA number of Housing Units and BBB number of Jobs Making $$$ in VVV Types of businesses.

Of course this is an oversimplification and certain terms have to be defined through the processes previously described in other posts, but the concept of formulae and matrices and algorithms to arrive at public decisions may cut down on the overheated rhetoric that sometimes accompanies decisions of this type. Also see MathML.

If we can agree to certain standard of not only data organization but the methods by which we analyse data, then perhaps we can take some of the confusion out of the public discourse.