Question

A traffic study has shown that the probability that 5 cars will pass over a small bridge in a 4-minute period is 0.16.

What are the odds against exactly 5 cars passing over the bridge in that time?

Answer 1

Answer: The odds against an event occurring are the ratio of the probability that the event will not occur to the probability that the event will occur. To find the odds against an event, you can use the formula:

Odds against = (1 - probability of event occurring) / probability of event occurring

In this case, the event is that exactly 5 cars will pass over the bridge in a 4-minute period. The probability that this event will occur is 0.16. Therefore, the odds against this event occurring are:

Odds against = (1 - 0.16) / 0.16

= 0.84 / 0.16

= 5.25

So, the odds against exactly 5 cars passing over the bridge in a 4-minute period are 5.25 to 1.

It means that there are 5.25 times more likely that it will not happen compare to happen.

Explanation: