Table of contents
- 1. Intro to Stats and Collecting Data24m
- 2. Describing Data with Tables and Graphs1h 55m
- 3. Describing Data Numerically53m
- 4. Probability1h 29m
- 5. Binomial Distribution & Discrete Random Variables1h 16m
- 6. Normal Distribution and Continuous Random Variables58m
- 7. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Mean1h 3m
- 8. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Proportion1h 5m
- 9. Hypothesis Testing for One Sample1h 1m
- 10. Hypothesis Testing for Two Samples2h 8m
- 11. Correlation48m
4. Probability
Multiplication Rule: Independent Events
Problem 4.2.13b
Textbook Question
In Exercises 9–20, use the data in the following table, which lists survey results from high school drivers at least 16 years of age (based on data from “Texting While Driving and Other Risky Motor Vehicle Behaviors Among U.S. High School Students,” by O’Malley, Shults, and Eaton, Pediatrics, Vol. 131, No. 6). Assume that subjects are randomly selected from those included in the table. Hint: Be very careful to read the question correctly.

Drinking and Driving If two of the high school drivers are randomly selected, find the probability that they both drove when drinking alcohol.
b. Assume that the selections are made without replacement. Are the events independent?

1
Step 1: Calculate the total number of high school drivers surveyed. Add all the values in the table: 731 + 3054 + 156 + 4564.
Step 2: Determine the total number of drivers who drove when drinking alcohol. Add the values in the 'Yes' column: 731 + 156.
Step 3: Calculate the probability of selecting one driver who drove when drinking alcohol. Divide the total number of drivers who drove when drinking alcohol by the total number of drivers surveyed.
Step 4: For the second selection (without replacement), calculate the probability of selecting another driver who drove when drinking alcohol. Subtract 1 from the total number of drivers who drove when drinking alcohol and divide by the new total number of drivers surveyed (subtract 1 from the total).
Step 5: Multiply the probabilities from Step 3 and Step 4 to find the probability that both drivers drove when drinking alcohol. This is the multiplication rule for dependent events.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Probability
Probability is a measure of the likelihood that an event will occur, expressed as a number between 0 and 1. In this context, it involves calculating the chance that both selected high school drivers drove after consuming alcohol. This requires understanding how to use the total number of drivers and the specific counts of those who drove while drinking to find the desired probability.
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Dependent and Independent Events
Events are considered independent if the occurrence of one does not affect the occurrence of the other. In this scenario, when selecting two drivers without replacement, the outcome of the first selection influences the second, making the events dependent. Understanding this distinction is crucial for accurately determining the probability of both drivers having driven after drinking.
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Conditional Probability
Conditional probability refers to the probability of an event occurring given that another event has already occurred. In this case, it involves calculating the probability that the second driver also drove after drinking, given that the first driver did. This concept is essential for understanding how the selections impact each other in the context of the problem.
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