Final answer:
The number of defects per million in a three-sigma program can be calculated by finding the number of standard deviations that correspond to 3 sigma and then multiplying it by 1 million. The correct answer is E) 1500.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of defects per million in a three-sigma program can be calculated by finding the number of standard deviations that correspond to 3 sigma and then multiplying it by 1 million. The empirical rule, also known as the 68-95-99.7 rule, states that approximately 68% of the data falls within one standard deviation, 95% within two standard deviations, and 99.7% within three standard deviations of the mean in a normal distribution.
In this case, if we assume that the number of defects follows a normal distribution, 3 sigma covers approximately 99.7% of the data. So, the defects per million would be 3 times the standard deviation, multiplied by 1 million. Therefore, the correct answer is E) 1500.