/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 15 Election You're pretty sure that... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

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Election You're pretty sure that your candidate for class president has about \(55 \%\) of the votes in the entire school. But you're worried that only 100 students will show up to vote. How often will the underdog (the one with \(45 \%\) support) win? To find out, you set up a simulation. a) Describe how you will simulate a component. b) Describe how you will simulate a trial. c) Describe the response variable.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Simulate each vote with probability, repeat for 100 votes per trial, and count trials where the underdog wins.

Step by step solution

01

Simulating a Component

To simulate a component, we'll replicate the voting process of one student. Since we assume there is a 55% probability that a student votes for our candidate, we'll use a random number generator to simulate each vote. If a randomly generated number between 0 and 1 is less than or equal to 0.55, the vote goes to our candidate. If it is greater than 0.55, the vote goes to the underdog.
02

Simulating a Trial

A trial involves simulating the voting process for all 100 students. We will repeat the component simulation 100 times, which corresponds to each student casting a vote. For each of the 100 simulated students, we apply the component process, recording whether each vote is for our candidate or the underdog.
03

Describing the Response Variable

The response variable in our simulation is the number of votes received by the underdog out of the 100 votes cast. We are interested in how often this number is greater than 50, which would mean the underdog wins the simulated election.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Probability Simulation
Probability simulation is a technique used to mimic random events in a controlled digital environment. In the context of the class president election, this involves simulating the voting behavior of each student. To do this, we use a random number generator that selects numbers between 0 and 1. Since we assume that 55% of students support our candidate, we set our simulation so that any random number less than 0.55 represents a vote for our candidate. In contrast, a number greater than 0.55 indicates a vote for the underdog.

This method allows us to estimate probabilities in scenarios that may be too complex to calculate analytically. By running multiple simulations, we can observe variability and tendencies without requiring a real-life voting scenario to play out. This approach of using probability to predict outcomes builds a foundation for understanding randomness and randomness-driven decisions.
Component Simulation
Component simulation refers to replicating the smallest unit of an experiment within a larger study. In this particular exercise, a component simulation involves simulating a single student's vote. Each student's voting behavior is an individual component of the entire voting process.

For each vote, we use a random number generator. If the chosen number is less than or equal to 0.55, our candidate receives the vote. If it's greater, the vote goes to the underdog.
  • Each iteration, or component, represents one student.
  • This process is repeated for all 100 simulated students.
By repeating this component simulation 100 times, we effectively simulate an entire election trial, capturing the variability of individual voting behaviors. This approach emphasizes understanding how each part contributes to the overall results.
Response Variable Analysis
The response variable analysis involves identifying and interpreting the outcome of interest in the simulation study. Here, the response variable is the count of votes that the underdog receives out of 100 total votes cast. Specifically, we want to determine how frequently the underdog secures more than 50% of the votes, thus winning the election.

The importance of the response variable lies in its ability to summarize the effects of random variability in the simulated trials. In our example, analyzing how often the underdog wins provides insights into the probability of such an event occurring in a real election with 100 voters.
  • This analysis helps in making informed decisions based on the simulation outcomess.
  • It translates raw data from the simulation into meaningful insights.
Understanding the response variable guides us in evaluating risks and probabilities in similar situations.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Lucky guessing? A friend of yours who took the multiple choice quiz in Exercise 19 got all 6 questions right, but now claims to have guessed blindly on every question. If each question offered 4 possible answers, do you believe her? Explain, basing your argument on a simulation involving at least 10 trials.

The lottery Many states run lottcrics, giving away millions of dollars if you match a certain set of winning numbers. How are those numbers determined? Do you think this method guarantees randomness? Explain.

Play the Iottery Some people play state-run lotteries by always playing the same favorite "lucky" number. Assuming that the lottery is truly random, is this strategy better, worse, or the same as choosing different numbers for each play? Explain.

Free groceries To attract shoppers, a supermarket runs a weekly contest that involves "scratch-off' cards. With each purchase, customers get a card with a black spot obscuring a message. When the spot is scratched away, most of the cards simply say, "Sorry - please try again." But during the week, 100 customers will get cards that make them eligible for a drawing for free groceries. Ten of the cards say they may be worth \(\$ 200,10\) others say \(\$ 100,20\) may be worth \(\$ 50,\) and the rest could be worth \(\$ 20 .\) To register those cards, customers write their names on them and put them in a barrel at the front of the store. At the end of the week the store manager draws cards at random, awarding the lucky customers free groceries in the amount specified on their card. The drawings continue until the store has given away more than \(\$ 500\) of free groceries. Estimate the average number of winners each week.

Beat the lottery Many states run lotteries to raise money. A Web site advertises that it knows "how to increase YOUR chances of Winning the Lottery." They offer several systems and criticize others as foolish. One system is called Lucky Numbers. People who play the Lucky Numbers system just pick a "lucky" number to play, but maybe some numbers are luckier than others. Let's use a simulation to see how well this system works. To make the situation manageable, simulate a simple lottery in which a single digit from 0 to 9 is selected as the winning number. Pick a single value to bet, such as 1 and keep playing it over and over. You'll want to run at least 100 trials. (If you can program the simulations on a computer, run several hundred. Or generalize the questions to a lottery that chooses two- or three-digit numbers - for which you'll need thousands of trials.) a) What proportion of the time do you expect to win? b) Would you expect better results if you picked a "luckier" number, such as \(7 ?\) (Try it if you don't know.) Explain.

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