1. Baseball player Tom Brookens once commented on his low batting average of .176: "I figure the law of averages has got to come into play sooner or later." A batting average is the ratio of hits to times at bat. Do you think the law of large numbers can be counted on to save Tom's batting average?
2. The probability is 1 in 4,000,000 that a single auto trip in the United States will result in a fatality. Over a lifetime, an average U.S. driver takes 50,000 trips. (a) What is the probability of a fatal accident over a lifetime? Explain your reasoning carefully. Hint: Assume independent events. Why might the assumption of independence be violated? (b) Why might a driver be tempted not to use a seat belt "just on this trip"?