Hi so this is a guide that I made about how to use simple mathematics to calculate the efficiency of training methods in Runescape.
There are basically two different equations that I use, the first is called “Efficiency rate”. It directly compares your maximum profit/hour with the exp/hour of a single training method.
The equation is:
M is your maximum gp/hour. Your absolute best money maker you have available.
P is the amount of gp you lose in an hour of training.
Do not forget the rules when you subtract a negative...EXP is the total experience/hour.
Think of this as a different way to calculate gp/exp and realize an hour that you that you train a skill could be used to make money instead, so you must include that money that you are potentially losing into the equation.
If you don’t know the exact values of these variables offhand, reference these spreadsheets for up to date statistics for almost every skilling method imaginable.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AldEhLOK6ejJdEt4SDZMY3F3SVY3UE9UWHRGU3VNQUE#gid=8Here is an example of calculating an efficiency rate for Herblore.
The method I am using is extreme attacks.
I used 3200 as my M because Ganodermic beasts are roughly 3200k an hour.
P is -8290 because currently, an hour of making extreme attack pots costs 8290k.
EXP is 466 because making them is 466k exp/hour.
As you can see, I ended up with an efficiency rate of 24.65.
Now I’ll use a different method; Prayer renewals.
M is still 3200.
P is -6158 because it costs 6158k gp for an hour.
EXP is 403 because it is 403k exp/hour.
As you can see, my efficiency rate is 23.22, which is lower than Extreme attack’s efficiency rate of 24.65. You want the
lowest efficiency rate possible because as I said earlier, efficiency rate is a fancier way to say gp/exp.
The second equation is a time-value-cutoff. It compares two skilling methods and is is used to calculate the rate of gp/hour you must be able to produce for one method to be more efficient than the other. This formula requires a little more math than the first.
The formula is:
So I wanted to train Prayer and I wanted to gain exactly one million experience. I have two methods I can chose from, Frost dragon bones or Dragon bones.
Finding your difference of Time:
Frost dragon bones take 1 hour to gain 1m exp.
Dragon bones would take 2.72 hours to gain 1m exp.
If I subtract them I would get 1.72 hours. So I would save 1.72 hours if I used Frost Dragon bones instead of Dragon bones.
Finding your difference of gp:
Frost dragon bones are about 1m exp/hour but cost about 15m gp/hour.
Dragon bones cost 3.3m gp/hour an hour and are 440k exp/hour. So for 2.72 hours, it would cost me 8.97m gp to gain 1m exp.
So if I subtract the total cost, I would get 6.03m. I would have spent 6.03m If I used Frost dragon bones instead of Dragon bones.
Ok so we have or two variables needed to find our time-value-cutoff. Let’s plug them in!
My answer is 3.50. Since my difference in cost is in millions, my answer will also be in millions. Ok so inorder for Frost dragon bones to be more efficient than Dragon bones, I would have to make at least 3.5m.
That's it. Personally, I use the first one because I can do the equation quickly and compare it to more than two efficiency rates. The second one requires more work but it's useful because it applies to everyone because it does not require any variables that would differ from player to player (In the first one, M can be different for two people).
If anyone has any question I will be more than willing to answer.