Statistics 404
Fall 2009
SECOND EXAM
Name _______________________________
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates there are about 96,000
centenarians (.03% of the population) in the US—a number
that is predicted to more than quadruple by 2030, reaching
1.15 million by 2050. Is it the glass of sherry or wine they
drink each evening before going to bed, or is it centenarians’
genetic makeup that accounts for their longevity? Or is it
centenarians’ cultural background? (For example, although
the proportion of centenarians in the Japanese population is
about the same as that in the US, in 2050 this proportion is projected to be double
that of the US!) Then there is the issue of centenarians’ quality of life. For
instance, although centenarians are much more likely to be female than male,
men who reach 100 years of age are usually healthier than are same-aged women.
You have been hired by the National Centenarian Awareness Project (NCAP) to
investigate centenarians’ “secrets to longevity.” The NCAP provides you funds
sufficient to conduct . . .
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