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Tell me how you would determine how many people are talking on their cell phones at this instant in New York City.

When providing your answer, please state all of your assumptions, and walk through your strategy in detail.

What three pieces of information would you need to have before actually solving this problem? (note: 300 WORDS REQUIRED)

Please write down your answers for each sentence.

Please be logical, reasonable, and well-thought-out.

Thank you. If I like your answer, I'll give a thumbs up.

User Tako
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2 Answers

4 votes

Answer:

Step-by-step explanation:

Assumptions: 1. Usage of cell phones is typical of the general public.

b. There is a normal distribution of the number of people talking on cell phones at any given moment.

c. The data gathered is representative of New York City's entire population.

Information Required:

a. Population Size: To calculate the potential number of cell phone users, the population of New York City as a whole must be known.

b. Cell phone penetration rate is the proportion of people who own and use mobile phones.

c. Call Duration and Frequency: Cell phone users' typical call duration and frequency.

Data collection and analysis

a. Population Size: Collect the most recent population statistics from reputable sources like the U.S. Census Bureau or the New York City government.

b. Cell Phone Penetration Rate: Compile information on the ownership and usage rates of cell phones in New York City from market research companies or cellular network providers.

c. Call Length and Frequency: To gather this information, surveys, statistical analysis of call logs, or data from cellular network providers are all required.

Calculation: Using the data mentioned above, we can determine how many people are using cell phones in New York City at any given moment:

a. Multiply the population size by the penetration rate of cell phones to determine the estimated number of cell phone users.

b. Ascertain the frequency and average length of calls.

c. To determine how many people are currently using cell phones, multiply the estimated number of users by the typical call length and frequency.

User Mohamed Medhat
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8.0k points
2 votes

Final answer:

To determine how many people are talking on their cell phones in NYC, a statistical approach can be used by conducting a survey of a representative sample and scaling up the count based on the city's demographics. Three key pieces of information needed are the population size, sample size, and observation locations.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order to determine how many people are talking on their cell phones at this instant in New York City, we would need to use a statistical approach. Here is a strategy that can be used:

  1. Assumptions: We assume that cell phone usage is evenly spread across the population of New York City and that the number of people talking on their cell phones remains relatively stable within a short period of time.
  2. Strategy: To estimate the number of people talking on their cell phones at a given instant, we can conduct a survey by observing a representative sample of individuals in different locations within the city. By counting the number of people observed using their cell phones and scaling up this count based on the size and demographics of the city, we can estimate the total number of people talking on their cell phones at that moment.
  3. Information Needed: Before solving this problem, we would need the following three pieces of information:
  • Population Size: The total population of New York City
  • Sample Size: The number of individuals observed during the survey
  • Observation Locations: The selection and distribution of locations within the city for conducting the survey

User GravityWell
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