Toxic chemical incidents. Process Safety Progress (Sept.

2004) reported on an emergency response system for incidents involving toxic chemicals in Taiwan. The system has logged over 250 incidents since being implemented.

The next table gives a breakdown of the locations where these incidents occurred. Consider the location of a toxic chemical incident in Taiwan.

a. List the sample points for this experiment.

b. Assign reasonable probabilities to the sample points.

c. What is the probability that the incident occurs in a school laboratory?

d. What is the probability that the incident occurs in either a chemical or a nonchemical plant?

e. What is the probability that the incident does not occur in transit?

f. What is the probability that in a sample of 3 independently selected incidents, all 3 occur in a school laboratory?

g. Would you expect the event in part f to occur? Explain.

Location Percent of Incidents School laboratory 6%

In transit 26%

Chemical plant 21%

Nonchemical plant 35%

Other 12%

Total 100%