Question

To evaluate the quality of the cellular phones coming off the assembly line, the manufacturer takes one every half-hour and tests it. About 1 out of 10,000 is found to have a minor mechanical problem. The company assumes from this data that 1 out of every 10,000 cellular phones they produce will be returned for mechanical problems after being purchased. Determine whether this conclusion is valid. Justify your answer.

Answer 1

While the manufacturer's assumption that 1 out of 10,000 phones tested will be returned for mechanical problems is a starting point, it ignores factors such as shipping damage, storage conditions, retail handling, and real-world usage, which could affect the actual return rate.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine if the conclusion that 1 out of every 10,000 cellular phones will be returned for mechanical problems is valid, we must consider multiple factors. The current quality inspection method where the manufacturer tests one phone every half-hour assumes that this sample is representative of the entire production line. If the assembly process is consistent and the sampling is random, this could be a valid method. However, it is risky to directly equate a controlled testing environment's results with real-world returns, as real-world usage may reveal issues not present in testing conditions.

Additionally, the scenario does not account for potential damage or issues that arise during shipping, storage, or at the point of retail. User behavior may also influence the actual return rate. Therefore, while the company's assumption is a starting point, they should be cautious before concluding that the failure rate during testing will directly translate to the customer return rate.

Answer 2

try to make sense out of this problem to where you can understand it