Question

The 4-year graduation rate at Hinsdale Central is 99%.

95% of those students will then enroll in postsecondary education at colleges or universities.
Out of those students, 66% will join the workforce after college graduation, 17% will advance to get their Master's degree, and 17% will move home and live in their parents' basement.

What is the probability that you, as a Hinsdale Central student, will go on to earn a master's degree?

A) 66%
B) 17%
C) 33%
D) 50%

Answer 1

The probability of a Hinsdale Central student earning a master's degree is found by multiplying the successive percentages: 99% for graduation, 95% of those enrolling in postsecondary education, and 17% of those obtaining a Master's degree. This results in approximately 15.99% probability.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the probability that you, as a Hinsdale Central student, will go on to earn a master's degree, we need to consider the given percentages step by step. First, 99% of students graduate, and 95% of those go to college or university. After college graduation, 17% of those students go on to get their Master's degree.

First, we find the percentage of students that go to college: 99% x 95% = 94.05%. Next, out of those students, we calculate the percentage that will pursue a Master's degree: 94.05% x 17% ≈ 15.99%.

Therefore, the probability that a Hinsdale Central student will earn a master's degree is approximately 15.99%, which is not an option in the given choices. Thus, the most accurate choice among the provided options, which rounds down, is B) 17%.