Sociologists studying social mobility in the U.S. find that the probability that someone who began their career in the bottom 10
% of earnings remains in the bottom 10% fifteen years later is 0.59. What is the probability that such a person moves to one of the higher income classes fifteen years later? (Use decimal notation. Give your answer as an exact number.) probability:
Using probability of <u>complementary events</u>, it is found that there is a 0.41 probability that such a person moves to one of the higher income classes fifteen years later.
When two events are complementary, the <u>sum of their probabilities are 1</u>.
In this problem, <u>either a person moves to a higher income class or they do not</u>, hence, the events are <em>complementary</em>.
0.59 probability that a person does not move to a higher class.
Hence, 1 - 0.59 = 0.41 probability that such a person moves to one of the higher income classes fifteen years later.