Convert WPM to KPH

Okay, I tried the typing test (which was rather cool!) but it just gives wpm, so it wasn't all that useful.

I did ask one of my colleagues about wpm vs kph, and he said he did not know if there was a specific 'formula' or not, but thought it's just a gross count of keystrokes - in other words, not just the "letters" (a b c, etc) but every individual time you hit a key. (He said he thought of wpm as 'net' count, and kph as a 'gross' count). So, periods, spaces in between words, and every character counts as a keystroke. I think that makes sense, since it's called 'keystrokes per hour.' If this is the case, I think the only way you could calculate kph is to outright count each character and space. Isn't wpm just a straight calculation of the letters themselves? - no characters or spaces?

I feel like I'm on a quest now LOL

[Robert Fogt]

WPM does not count spaces, and I am not sure if KPH does or not.

So if the numbers do not line up directly then its a good chance that its because KPH counts spaces.

If you want we can create a test. Find a paragraph or several paragraphs of text then time yourself while you type it up, send it to me so I can strip the spaces and count the actual non-space characters.

Then maybe we can fine-tune the conversion factor to take into account the average number of spaces.

I find that almost everyone I know overestimates their typing speed, based on the fastest time they have ever done it perhaps!!

[Robert Fogt]

Perhaps its because typing tests are fairly short. A person can type very fast for short periods, but they couldn't keep it up over the course of a day.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am trying to find out how to convert words per minute to keystrokes per hour. Any help would be great!

Thanks!

please tell me how many kph is equivalent to 45 wpm. is there a formula? I appreciate any help

[Robert Fogt]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

please tell me how many kph is equivalent to 45 wpm. is there a formula? I appreciate any help

45 WPM would be about 13500 keystrokes/hour.

There is a formula for it on the first couple posts of this thread. Though we are finding out that it is not really an exact formula. Some count spaces others dont, some use 5 letter words others don't. etc.

Originally Posted by Robert Fogt

Yes thats accurate for the U.S. Your country may have a different reference word. In the US it is a 5 character word.

The average web surfing person types at 20 to 25 wpm, while the average data entry person types at 38 to 40 wpm. A speed of 80 wpm is very fast, its possible, but few can do it.

Try this typing test here:
-Link Removed-

It is not very accurate, because most people can type quickly for short periods of time, but less quickly for longer periods which most typing tests include. But it gives a general idea.

I think it's an accurate formula. Not only that, but I would like to add to the fact that I am one of those "few" who can type appox. 80 wpm (I beat the school record with 93 wpm). I don't use typing lessons either (although I've had them before; they just slow me down).

I type 104wpm

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I type 104wpm

That's impressive! Was that on a QWERTY keyboard?

I read that the holder of the typing speed record preferred the Dvorak keyboard, remarkable since that was in the typewriter era, when there were separate machines for QWERTY and Dvorak:

Barbara Blackburn, the World's Fastest Typist
http://web.syr.edu/~rcranger/blackburn.htm

Now that computer keyboards can be remapped so easily, I'm wondering if Dvorak is gaining any ground. Personally, I change my keyboard layout only to type in different languages, not for speed. But I'm wondering, has anyone out there used the Dvorak layout or have any opinions about it?

For those who don't know how to change their keyboard layout, here are instructions for Microsoft Windows XP:

Select Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Regional and Language Options
Click the Languages tab
Click the Details button
Click the Add button
From the Keyboard Layout/IME pull-down menu, select United States-Dvorak (or United States-Dvorak for left or right hand)
Click OK
To set it as the default, select United States-Dvorak again from the Default input language pull-down menu
Click OK to close the control panel

I took a typing test and I type 83 wph. I think a lot of people type fast now because of computers.