If there are 100 magnitude-5 earthquakes in a given region in a year, the number of magnitude-6 earthquakes can be estimated to be around 10.
Seismologists use the magnitude scale to quantify the size of earthquakes. Each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in amplitude and approximately 32 times more energy release. Therefore, going from magnitude 5 to 6 implies a seismic event with significantly more energy. While the relationship is not strictly linear, a common rule of thumb is that there are about 10 times more magnitude-5 earthquakes than magnitude-6 earthquakes. Hence, if there are 100 magnitude-5 earthquakes, we can estimate around 10 magnitude-6 earthquakes in the given region.
In summary, with 100 magnitude-5 earthquakes as a reference point, it's reasonable to expect approximately 10 magnitude-6 earthquakes in the same region within the same time frame. This estimation is based on the logarithmic nature of the earthquake magnitude scale, where each step signifies a substantial increase in seismic energy.
Complete question:
If there are 100 magnitude-5 earthquakes in a given region in a year, then, based on historical seismic patterns, what is the expected number of magnitude-6 earthquakes in that same region during the same time period?"