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This module introduces the contingency table as a way of determining conditional probabilities.

A contingency table provides a way of portraying data that can facilitate calculating probabilities. The table helps in determining conditional probabilities quite easily. The table displays sample values in relation to two different variables that may be dependent or contingent on one another. Later on, we will use contingency tables again, but in another manner. Contingincy tables provide a way of portraying data that can facilitate calculating probabilities.

Suppose a study of speeding violations and drivers who use car phones produced the following fictional data:

Speeding violation in the last year No speeding violation in the last year Total
Car phone user 25 280 305
Not a car phone user 45 405 450
Total 70 685 755

The total number of people in the sample is 755. The row totals are 305 and 450. The column totals are 70 and 685. Notice that 305 + 450 = 755 and 70 + 685 = 755 .

Calculate the following probabilities using the table

P(person is a car phone user) =

number of car phone users total number in study = 305 755

P(person had no violation in the last year) =

number that had no violation total number in study = 685 755

P(person had no violation in the last year AND was a car phone user) =

280 755

P(person is a car phone user OR person had no violation in the last year) =

( 305 755 + 685 755 ) - 280 755 = 710 755

P(person is a car phone user GIVEN person had a violation in the last year) =

25 70 (The sample space is reduced to the number of persons who had a violation.)

P(person had no violation last year GIVEN person was not a car phone user) =

405 450 (The sample space is reduced to the number of persons who were not car phone users.)

The following table shows a random sample of 100 hikers and the areas of hiking preferred:

Hiking area preference
Sex The Coastline Near Lakes and Streams On Mountain Peaks Total
Female 18 16 ___ 45
Male ___ ___ 14 55
Total ___ 41 ___ ___

Complete the table.

Hiking area preference
Sex The Coastline Near Lakes and Streams On Mountain Peaks Total
Female 18 16 11 45
Male 16 25 14 55
Total 34 41 25 100

Are the events "being female" and "preferring the coastline" independent events?

Let F = being female and let C = preferring the coastline.

  • P(F AND C) =
  • P(F) P(C) =

Are these two numbers the same? If they are, then F and C are independent. If they are not, then F and C are not independent.

  • P(F AND C) = 18 100 = 0.18
  • P(F) P(C) = 45 100 34 100 = 0.45 0.34 = 0.153

P(F AND C) P(F) P(C) , so the events F and C are not independent.

Find the probability that a person is male given that the person prefers hiking near lakes and streams. Let M = being male and let L = prefers hiking near lakes and streams.

  • What word tells you this is a conditional?
  • Fill in the blanks and calculate the probability: P(___|___) = ___ .
  • Is the sample space for this problem all 100 hikers? If not, what is it?
  • The word 'given' tells you that this is a conditional.
  • P(M|L) = 25 41
  • No, the sample space for this problem is 41.

Find the probability that a person is female or prefers hiking on mountain peaks. Let F = being female and let P = prefers mountain peaks.

  • P(F) =
  • P(P) =
  • P(F AND P) =
  • Therefore, P(F OR P) =
  • P(F) = 45 100
  • P(P) = 25 100
  • P(F AND P) = 11 100
  • P(F OR P) = 45 100 + 25 100 - 11 100 = 59 100

Muddy Mouse lives in a cage with 3 doors. If Muddy goes out the first door, the probability that he gets caught by Alissa the cat is 1 5 and the probability he is not caught is 4 5 . If he goes out the second door, the probability he gets caught by Alissa is 1 4 and the probability he is not caught is 3 4 . The probability that Alissa catches Muddy coming out of the third door is 1 2 and the probability she does not catch Muddy is 1 2 . It is equally likely that Muddy will choose any of the three doors so the probability of choosing each door is 1 3 .

Door choice
Caught or Not Door One Door Two Door Three Total
Caught 1 15 1 12 1 6 ____
Not Caught 4 15 3 12 1 6 ____
Total ____ ____ ____ 1
  • The first entry 1 15 = ( 1 5 ) ( 1 3 ) is P(Door One AND Caught) .
  • The entry 4 15 = ( 4 5 ) ( 1 3 ) is P(Door One AND Not Caught) .

Verify the remaining entries.

Complete the probability contingency table. Calculate the entries for the totals. Verify that the lower-right corner entry is 1.

Door choice
Caught or Not Door One Door Two Door Three Total
Caught 1 15 1 12 1 6 19 60
Not Caught 4 15 3 12 1 6 41 60
Total 5 15 4 12 2 6 1

What is the probability that Alissa does not catch Muddy?

41 60

What is the probability that Muddy chooses Door One OR Door Two given that Muddy is caught by Alissa?

9 19

You could also do this problem by using a probability tree. See the Tree Diagrams (Optional) section of this chapter for examples.

Questions & Answers

it is the relatively stable flow of income
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Divine Reply
branches of macroeconomics
SHEDRACK Reply
what is Flexible exchang rate?
poudel Reply
is gdp a reliable measurement of wealth
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introduction to econometrics
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Tom
Why is unemployment rate never zero at full employment?
Priyanka Reply
bcoz of existence of frictional unemployment in our economy.
Umashankar
what is flexible exchang rate?
poudel
due to existence of the pple with disabilities
Abdulraufu
the demand of a good rises, causing the demand for another good to fall
Rushawn Reply
is it possible to leave every good at the same level
Joseph
I don't think so. because check it, if the demand for chicken increases, people will no longer consume fish like they used to causing a fall in the demand for fish
Anuolu
is not really possible to let the value of a goods to be same at the same time.....
Salome
Suppose the inflation rate is 6%, does it mean that all the goods you purchase will cost 6% more than previous year? Provide with reasoning.
Geetha Reply
Not necessarily. To measure the inflation rate economists normally use an averaged price index of a basket of certain goods. So if you purchase goods included in the basket, you will notice that you pay 6% more, otherwise not necessarily.
Waeth
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Yoal
Economic growth Stable prices and low unemployment
Ephraim
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Getu
increase in general price levels
WEETO
Good day How do I calculate this question: C= 100+5yd G= 2000 T= 2000 I(planned)=200. Suppose the actual output is 3000. What is the level of planned expenditures at this level of output?
Chisomo Reply
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Chisomo
how to calculate the equilibrium income
Beshir
Criteria for determining money supply
Thapase Reply
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Muhammad
Aggregate demand
Mohammed
C=k100 +9y and i=k50.calculate the equilibrium level of output
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A unit of account is something that can be used to value goods and services and make calculations
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Muhammad
I want to know how can we define macroeconomics in one line
Muhammad
it must be .9 or 0.9 no Mpc is greater than 1 Y=100+.9Y+50 Y-.9Y=150 0.1Y/0.1=150/0.1 Y=1500
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Kalombe
hi can someone help me on this question If a negative shocks shifts the IS curve to the left, what type of policy do you suggest so as to stabilize the level of output? discuss your answer using appropriate graph.
Galge Reply
if interest rate is increased this will will reduce the level of income shifting the curve to the left ◀️
Kalombe
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Source:  OpenStax, Collaborative statistics for mt230. OpenStax CNX. Aug 18, 2011 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11345/1.2
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