Probability and Genetics
Probability theory is the study of the likelihood of an occurrence of random events in order to predict future behaviors of a system (2). The principles of probability are widely used. In genetics, for example, probability is used to estimate the likelihood of gene distribution from one generation to the next. In business, insurance companies use the principles of probability to determine risk groups. Probability is closely related to statistics since uncertainty always exists when statistical predictions are being made. A number between 0 and 1 represents the probability of an outcome (1). The probability of an impossible event is 0. Where as the probability of something that is certain to occur is 1. The theory of probability is recognized as being developed by Blaise Pascal with help from his friend Pierre de Fermat.
Blaise Pascal was born at Clermont, France on June 19, in 1623. He was the third child of Etienne Pascal, and his only son. Blaise was only 3 when his mother died (3). In 1631, his family moved to Paris to carry on the education of Blaise, who had already displayed exceptional ability. Pascal was home taught, and to ensure that he was not overworked, his father decided that his studies would only involve the languages, and should not include any mathematics. At the age of twelve, Pascal demonstrated to his tutor an interest in geometry. He was stimulated by the subject, and gave up his playtime and chose to study geometry instead. In a few weeks, he discovered the many properties of geometric figures, in particular, that the sum of the angels of a triangle equals180 degrees. Impressed by Pascal’s display, his father gave him a copy of Euclid's Elements, which Pascal read and soon ma...
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...volve money. By playing the odds right, someone could win big, either at a card table or on Wall Street. Probability makes random events look like very predictable ones.
Work Cited
1. Campbell, Neil, Jane Reece, Lawerence Mitchell. Biology fifth edition.
Addison Wesley Longman, Inc., 1999
2.Interactive Mathematics Miscellany and Puzzles, Probability.
http://www.cut-the-knot.com/probability.html.( 12/5/99)
3. Pascal. http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Pascal.html. (12/5/99)
4. A Short History of Probability. From Calculus, Volume II by Tom M. Apostol
(2nd edition, John Wiley & Sons, 1969 ) On line:
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751_97_winter/Topics/stat-meas/probHist.html. (12/5/99)
5.Wilkins, D. R. Blaise Pascal (1623 – 1662)
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/pub/HistMath/People/Pascal/RouseBall/RB_Pascal.html. (12/5/99)
Tara Yosso’s is a motivational, informational book that gives us an insight and awareness of how the Chicana/o students struggles throughout their education in the American society. Critical Race Counterstories Along the Chicana/Chicano Educational Pipeline, portrays how Latino students have been marginalized in the educational system. Yosso addresses the problems that might be hindering students of color to drop out of school to continue to higher education. She does this research by analyzing various situations that still happen in the K-12 educational system, as in high school, and higher education. Yosso also addresses counterstories to better understand the experiences and struggles Chicanas/os go through in their schooling. Counterstories are important to be able to know what Chicanas/os struggles go through. Also tells about the outcomes that Chicanas/os have overcome when they are in a situation were they ate being underrepresented and how they have been dealing with these unequal educational opportunities. Her book addresses, awareness of how the Chicana/o culture is being underrepresented in the American educational system. It gives an understanding of why the Chicana/o students are leaking out of the educational pipeline. It also shows the obstacles this Latino students have to face to be able to make it through the educational pipeline. Chicana/o students want to continue to higher education they have to transform the educational system and acknowledge this culture to be successful instead of setting them to failure. Furthermore, this critique will analyze the strengths and the weaknesses of Tara Y...
Such devastating mistakes by eyewitnesses are not rare, according to a report by the Innocence Project, an organization affiliated with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. The Innocence Project uses DNA testing to exonerate those wrongfully convicted of crimes. Since the 1990s, when DNA testing was first introduced, Innocence Project researchers have reported that, “Seventy three percent of the two hundred thirty nine convictions overturned through DNA testing were based on eyewitness testimony” (Loftus xi). One third of these overturned cases rested on the testimony of two or more mistaken eyewitnesses. How could so many eyewitnesses be wrong? This paper will identify a theoretical framework that views eyewitness testimony ...
Educators, parents, policy makers, and institutional leaders all play a vital role in the advocacy of Latino/a students on their journey towards higher education. Access to information on how to attain higher education and practices needed to plan for the next steps, are necessary in preparing for the future. As the Latina/o population continues to grow in the United States it is important to recover what their educational outlook is in regards to higher learning. This literature review will examine the roadblocks facing Latina/o students including, parent involvement and understanding, family influence, preparation programs, and school support, and explore ways in which educators can work towards making college access a more frequent reality for Latina/o students.
Fradella, H.F. (2006) Why judges should admit expert testimony on the unreliability of eyewitness testimony. Federal Courts Law Review. Retrieved from http://www.fclr.org/fclr/articles/html/2006/fedctslrev3.pdf
Mindlin, Alex. "DRILLING DOWN Rapid Rise of Children With Cellphones." NY Times. The New York Times, 07 Mar. 2010. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. .
The study of the causes of substance abuse has been conflicting many people for a long time. There are two causes of substance abuse that have been argued for many years. The first cause is believed to be environmental. The second cause is a genetic cause that leads people to turn to drugs and alcohol. In “Touch of Grey” Lanthrop comes to the conclusion that his substance abuse issue posses both genetic and environmental causes. This argument is specifically compelling because he uses research and a personal statement to prove his findings. While environmental issues have a large impact on substance abuse, genetics have the greatest impact on substance abuse.
These groups need to work together to develop a statewide agenda. Hispanic students, according to some studies, lag behind other students in classroom performance; have the highest dropout rate of any ethnic group in the country; and, according to federal data, are less likely to pursue higher learning(Tucson ’66). We as a society, need to have a school system that prepares our students for higher education if that is their choice. Society needs to work together to change the educational process for Latino students. Consider these numbers, which we drew from As A Relook at Tucson ’66 states” Minority groups are being shortchanged by more than 20...
On Christmas Day in the year 2001, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. When I looked into the brand-new face of my son I saw a beautiful mystery. I wondered what kind of man my boy would grow to be and what his life would be like. There are those in the scientific community who would argue that my son's path was already determined at the moment of his birth, that his fate could be deciphered from his genetic make-up. As a nurturing mother I know better. At two years old my son has developed a more diverse vocabulary than many children twice or even three times his age. He recognizes many written words and reads them aloud. He is able to spell his name. He can distinguish a square from a rectangle and an octagon from a hexagon. Was he born with this knowledge? The answer is no. My son, as genetically gifted as he may be, could have been born into an environment in which his inborn potential was never developed. The knowledge he now possesses can be directly traced to the teaching environment in which he has grown. Human beings are a product of both their biology and their environment.
Latino’s youth now a day are too focused on following trends, which they forget that education is something that is needed in life not only to better you but to create a better living environment for yourself. Education can be the key to success which will open many doors in your life. Without having an education you won’t be able to get a good job and you will be stuck at the bottom of the social class without being able to change that. One of the primary causes of Latino dropouts come from the lack of parental involvement and outreach, lack of professional skills among teachers to work with young boys of color, and the pressing challenges to adhere to high stakes testing. The problems that Latino males face are unique in that they range from language proficiency, immigration and cultural differences where there is a greater pressure to contribute to the family fina...
Many theories of logic use mathematical terms to show how premises lead to conclusions. The Bayesian confirmation theory relates directly to probability. When applying this theory, a logician must know the probability of a given situation, have a conditional rule, and then he or she must apply the probability when the conditional rule is applied. This theory is used to determine an outcome based on a given condition. The probability of a given situation is x, when y occurs, or the probability is z if it does not occur. If y occurs, then the outcome of the given would be x. For example, if there is a high probability that a storm will occur if a given temperature drops and there is no temperature change, then it will most likely not rain because the temperature did not change (Strevens, 2012). By using observational data such as weather patterns, a person can arrive at a logical prediction or conclusion that will most likely come true based...
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gambling truth states; "Gamblers never win, the house never loses"2 Slot. Machines and most table games allow players to make bets where the probability of winning is relatively high. Frequent wins are characterized by low payouts. These frequent wins encourage further gambles with low payouts. Frequent winning, low paying games are not the only way casinos get.
Probability is always surrounding us from stock markets to the ever-simple heads or tails. This very complicated area of mathematics can be explained in a simpler way. It is how likely an event is to happen. The probability of an event will always be between 0 and 1. The closer it is to one, the more likely the event is to happen.
Blaise Pascal lived during a time when religion and science were clashing and challenging previous discoveries and ideas. Pascal lived from 1623 to 1662 due to his untimely death at the age of thirty nine. The scientific community grew enormously and Pascal was a great contributor to this growth. The growth in the scientific community is known as the Scientific Revolution. He lived in a time where an absolute monarch came into power, King Louis the XIV. Louis XIV was a believer in “one king, one law, and one faith” (Spielvogel, 2012). Pascal saw the destruction of protestant practices in France and the growth and acceptance of scientific discoveries. He used the scientific method to refine previous experiments that were thought to be logical but Pascal proved otherwise and eventually led to Pascal’s Law. He spent his life devoted to two loves: God and science. Within his book, “Pensees,” Pascal argues and shares his thoughts about God, science, and philosophy.
The 17th Century saw Napier, Briggs and others greatly extend the power of mathematics as a calculator science with his discovery of logarithms. Cavalieri made progress towards the calculus with his infinitesimal methods and Descartes added the power of algebraic methods to geometry. Euclid, who lived around 300 BC in Alexandria, first stated his five postulates in his book The Elements that forms the base for all of his later Abu Abd-Allah ibn Musa al’Khwarizmi, was born abo...