Final answer:
The probability of dying as a passenger car occupant next year is approximately 0.000042. The probability of an American chosen at random dying as a result of a tornado next year is approximately 0.0000018. The probability of an individual dying as a result of a tornado next year is approximately 0.0000018, assuming equal exposure to tornadoes.
Step-by-step explanation:
c) To find the probability of dying as a passenger car occupant next year, we need to divide the number of deaths due to passenger car accidents by the population of the United States. The probability can be calculated as follows:
Probability = Number of deaths due to passenger car accidents / Population of the United States
Probability = 13,100 / 312,000,000
Probability ≈ 0.0000419871795 ≈ 0.000042 (rounded to 2 significant figures)
d) To find the probability of an American chosen at random dying as a result of a tornado next year, we need to divide the number of tornado deaths by the population of the United States. The probability can be calculated as follows:
Probability = Number of tornado deaths / Population of the United States
Probability = 553 / 312,000,000
Probability ≈ 0.00000177243589 ≈ 0.0000018 (rounded to 2 significant figures)
e) The probability of an individual dying as a result of a tornado next year cannot be accurately determined without knowing the number of individuals who are exposed to tornadoes. However, if we assume that the probability of being exposed to a tornado is the same for every individual in the population, then the probability of an individual dying as a result of a tornado can be calculated as follows:
Probability = Probability of a tornado occurring × Probability of dying in a tornado
Probability = 0.0000018 (calculated in part d) × 1 (assuming the probability of dying in a tornado is 100%)
Probability ≈ 0.0000018 ≈ 0.0000018 (rounded to 2 significant figures)
f) The answer to part e is different from the answer to part d because the probability of dying as a result of a tornado next year depends on the probability of a tornado occurring, which is different from the probability of an American chosen at random dying as a result of a tornado next year.
g) The data does not provide enough information to determine whether skydiving is less dangerous than driving. To make a comparison, we would need to know the number of individuals who participate in each activity and the number of deaths associated with each activity.
h) The data suggests that motorcycle riding is more dangerous than driving as a passenger car occupant, as the number of deaths due to motorcycle accidents (4,500) is higher than the number of deaths due to passenger car accidents (13,100). However, to fully evaluate the claim that motorcycle riding is less dangerous than driving, we would need additional information such as the number of individuals who participate in each activity and the number of deaths associated with each activity.