"Simulating Election Results
Suppose that polls indicate a candidate in a local school board election has the support of 52% of voters.


a. Explain how you could use the integers from 1 to 100 to simulate votes.
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Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the candidate has 52% support, meaning that out of 100 voters, approximately 52 would vote for the candidate and 48 would not.
2. Assign integers from 1 to 100 to represent individual voters in the simulation.
3. Designate the integers 1 through 52 to represent voters who support the candidate, since 52% corresponds to 52 out of 100.
4. Assign the integers 53 through 100 to represent voters who do not support the candidate.
5. To simulate a vote, randomly select an integer between 1 and 100; if the number falls between 1 and 52, count it as a vote for the candidate, otherwise count it as a vote against.

Key Concepts

Simulation in Statistics

Simulation involves using random or pseudo-random processes to model real-world phenomena. In this context, it helps approximate election outcomes by mimicking voter behavior based on given probabilities, allowing us to explore possible results without conducting actual polls.

Probability and Proportions

Probability represents the likelihood of an event occurring, expressed as a number between 0 and 1 or as a percentage. Here, 52% support means each voter has a 0.52 chance of voting for the candidate, which guides how we assign outcomes in the simulation.

Random Number Assignment

Using integers from 1 to 100, each number can represent a voter. Assigning numbers 1 to 52 to support the candidate and 53 to 100 to oppose simulates the 52% support. Randomly selecting numbers simulates individual votes reflecting the candidate's support level.