Question

Hospitals typically require backup generators to provide electricity in the event of a power outage. Assume that emergency backup generators fail 18​% of the times when they are needed. A hospital has two backup generators so that power is available if one of them fails during a power outage. Required:a. Find the probability that both generators fail during a power outage.b. Find the probability of having a working generator in the event of a power outage. Is that probability high enough for the hospital?c. Is that probability high enough for the hospital?

Answer 1

Answer:

a. 0.36

b. 0.1296

c. No.

Step-by-step explanation:

1. Note the probability of emergency backup generators to fail when they are needed = 18% or 0.18. Thus,

a. Probability of both emergency backup generators failing = P (G1 and G2 fails) where G represents the generators.

= P (G1 falls) x P ( G2 fails)

= 0.18 x 0.18

= 0.36

b. The probability of having a working generator in the event of a power outage = G1 fails x G2 works + G2 works x G2 fails

= 0.36 x 0.18 + 0.18 x 0.36

= 0.1296

c. Looking at the probability of any of the generators working, it is not meeting safety standards as lives could be lost if the backup generators needed to perform an emergency surgery operation fails.