Virtually any process can be improved by use of statistics, including the law. A much publicized case that involved a debate about probability was the Collins case, which began in 1964. An incident of purse snatching in the Los Angeles area led to the arrest of Michael and Janet Collins. At their trial, an "expert" presented the probabilities listed in table below on characteristics possessed by a couple seen running from the crime scene: Characteristics Probability Man with beard 1/10 Blond woman 1/4 1/10 Yellow car Woman with ponytail Man with moustache Interracial couple 1/10 1/3 1/1000 The chance that a couple had all these characteristics together is 1 in 12 million. Because the Collises had these characteristics, the Collinses must be guilty. Do yo see any problem with this line of reasoning? Hint: The question of interest is not "what is the probability of finding a couple with these characteristics?" because one such couple has been found (the Collinses). the question is "what is the probability that another such couple exists, given that we have found one?"

College Algebra
10th Edition
ISBN:9781337282291
Author:Ron Larson
Publisher:Ron Larson
Chapter8: Sequences, Series,and Probability
Section8.7: Probability
Problem 11ECP: A manufacturer has determined that a machine averages one faulty unit for every 500 it produces....
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Virtually any process can be improved by use of statistics, including the law. A
much publicized case that involved a debate about probability was the Collins
case, which began in 1964. An incident of purse snatching in the Los Angeles area
led to the arrest of Michael and Janet Collins. At their trial, an "expert" presented the
probabilities listed in table below on characteristics possessed by a couple seen
running from the crime scene:
Characteristics
Probability
Man with beard
1/10
Blond woman
1/4
1/10
Yellow car
Woman with ponytail
Man with moustache
Interracial couple
1/10
1/3
1/1000
The chance that a couple had all these characteristics together is 1 in 12 million.
Because the Collinses had these characteristics, the Collinses must be guilty. Do yo
see any problem with this line of reasoning?
Hint: The question of interest is not "what is the probability of finding a couple with
these characteristics?" because one such couple has been found (the Collinses),
the question is "what is the probability that another such couple exists, given that we
have found one?"
Transcribed Image Text:Virtually any process can be improved by use of statistics, including the law. A much publicized case that involved a debate about probability was the Collins case, which began in 1964. An incident of purse snatching in the Los Angeles area led to the arrest of Michael and Janet Collins. At their trial, an "expert" presented the probabilities listed in table below on characteristics possessed by a couple seen running from the crime scene: Characteristics Probability Man with beard 1/10 Blond woman 1/4 1/10 Yellow car Woman with ponytail Man with moustache Interracial couple 1/10 1/3 1/1000 The chance that a couple had all these characteristics together is 1 in 12 million. Because the Collinses had these characteristics, the Collinses must be guilty. Do yo see any problem with this line of reasoning? Hint: The question of interest is not "what is the probability of finding a couple with these characteristics?" because one such couple has been found (the Collinses), the question is "what is the probability that another such couple exists, given that we have found one?"
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