Question

The age at which people have a 50/50 chance of surviving is their ____.

a) Life expectancy
b) Median age
c) Half-life
d) Biological clock

Answer 1

The age at which people have a 50/50 chance of surviving is their life expectancy, which is the average age of death for a population based on various factors such as year of birth and gender. It is calculated using life tables that track mortality rates across age intervals. The age at which people have a 50/50 chance of surviving is their Median age. So, the correct option is b) Median age

Step-by-step explanation:

The age at which people have a 50/50 chance of surviving is their life expectancy. Life expectancy is a statistical measure that represents the average age of death in a population, or the average length of life. It is determined by factors such as year of birth, gender, and current age.

For example, in the United States in 2015, the life expectancy at birth was 77 years for males and 82 years for females. However, many people live longer than the life expectancy, with a growing number living to be over 100 years old.

Life expectancy is different from 'median age', 'half-life', or 'biological clock'. A 'half-life' refers to the time it takes for half the amount of a substance to decay and is more commonly associated with radioactive decay rather than human lifespans.

'Median age' is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups: half the people are younger than this age and half are older.

'Biological clock' typically refers to an innate timing mechanism in organisms, often associated with reproductive timing or the timing of daily rhythms.

Life tables are used to calculate life expectancy by tabulating the number of individuals dying and surviving within different age intervals. These tables are essential tools in demography and actuarial science.

The age at which people have a 50/50 chance of surviving is their Median age. So, the correct option is b) Median age

Answer 2

The median age represents the point at which half of a population is expected to survive, making it the age at which individuals have a 50/50 chance of living or dying. It is a statistical measure that provides insight into the distribution of ages in a given population.

b) Median age

Step-by-step explanation:

The median age is the point where 50% of the population is older and 50% is younger. In the context of survival, the median age represents the age at which individuals have a 50/50 chance of surviving.

In demographic terms, the median age is a statistical measure that divides a population into two equal halves. It is not influenced by extreme values, making it a more accurate representation of central tendency. In the given question, "Median age" perfectly fits the concept of a 50/50 chance of survival, as it denotes the age where the probability of survival and non-survival are equal.

Life expectancy (option a) refers to the average number of years a person is expected to live, and it doesn't necessarily represent the point at which survival probability is 50%. The term "half-life" (option c) is more commonly associated with decay processes in physics or chemistry, and "biological clock" (option d) typically refers to the natural processes governing aging but doesn't directly correlate with a 50/50 survival probability. Therefore, the most appropriate answer is b) Median age, aligning with the statistical concept of equal division of a population by age.