Question

Absolute risk is defined as the proportion or percentage of people in a group for whom an undesirable event occurs. In college classrooms, students typically can choose their own seats. Professors have noticed a difference in grades between students who choose to sit in the front and those who choose to sit in the back. For example, in one math class, 9 of the 20 students who sat in the back failed the class, but only 3 of the 20 students who sat in the front failed the class. What was the absolute risk of failing the class for students who sat in the back? For students who sat in the front? Give your answers as fractions, proportions, and percents.

Answer 1

Given in the scenario:

a.) 9 of the 20 students who sat in the back failed the class.

b.) 3 of the 20 students who sat in the front failed the class.

A.) The absolute risk of failing the class for students who sat in the back.

In the back, 9 of the 20 students who sat in the back failed the class.

The absolute risk in proportion = 9:20

The absolute risk in fraction = 9/20

The absolute risk in percentage = (9 ÷ 20) x 100 = 0.45 x 100 = 45%

B.) The absolute risk of failing the class for students who sat in the front.

In the front, 3 of the 20 students who sat in the front failed the class.

The absolute risk in proportion = 3:20

The absolute risk in fraction = 3/20

The absolute risk in percentage = (3 ÷ 20) x 100 = 0.15 x 100 = 15%