Question

The following data summarizes results from 941 pedestrian deaths that were caused by accidents. If one of the pedestrian deaths is randomly selected, find the probability that the pedestrian was intoxicated or the driver was intoxicated.

Pedestrian Pedestrian
Intoxicated Not intoxicated
Driver Intoxicated 56 71
Driver Not intoxicated 292 522

Answer 1

P=0.3698 or 36.98%

Explanation:

Complete the table by adding the totals to each column and row.

Pedestrian Pedestrian

Intoxicated Not intoxicated Totals

Driver Intoxicated 56 71 127

Driver Not intoxicated 292 522 814

Totals 348 593 941

The probability that the pedestrian was intoxicated or the driver was intoxicated is the opposite event of neither of them was intoxicated. The total of cases when neither of them was intoxicated is 593. So the probability is:

P1=593/941=0.6302

The probability of the opposite event is one minus the probability calculated:

P=1-0.6302=0.3698

And this is the probability that the pedestrian was intoxicated or the driver was intoxicated.