The table below shows the number of deaths in the U.S. in a year due to a variety of causes. For these questions, assume these values are not changing from year to year, and that the population of the United States is 312 million people.
Cause Deaths
Passenger car occupant (driver or rider) 13,100
Motorcycle (driver or rider) 4,500
Tornado 553
Skydiving 56
e) Estimate the probability that you will die as the result of a tornado next year?
Make sure your answer is accurate to at least 2 significant figures (values after leading zeros)
f) Why is this answer different than the probability for an American chosen at random?
4 answers
can anyone please help
a) Divide the number of car deaths by the number of Americans.
13,100/312,000,000 = 0.00004199
b) Calculating that you, as a random person, died as a passenger car occupant is the same as above, 0.0000419. However, if the question is implying that you as a living person to calculate the probability that you died, it is 0, because you are alive.
c) Because the probability does not change between years, the probability you would die in a passenger car accident next year is 0.00004199.
d) Divide the number of tornado deaths by the population.
553/312,000,000 = 0.00000177
f) You have the same probability as any random American, so the probability is the same as above, 0.00000177.
13,100/312,000,000 = 0.00004199
b) Calculating that you, as a random person, died as a passenger car occupant is the same as above, 0.0000419. However, if the question is implying that you as a living person to calculate the probability that you died, it is 0, because you are alive.
c) Because the probability does not change between years, the probability you would die in a passenger car accident next year is 0.00004199.
d) Divide the number of tornado deaths by the population.
553/312,000,000 = 0.00000177
f) You have the same probability as any random American, so the probability is the same as above, 0.00000177.
According to the test I am absolutely lost on neither 553/312000000 or 553/18209 is correct for the probability of YOU dying next year by a tornado. But the probability of YOU dying from a car accident next year is the 13100?312000000. It does not make any sense.
The correct answer is 0. As far as why the probability of me personally dying from a tornado is different than any other American is totally lost on me.