Chapter 14, Problem 6E

To determine

To explain meaning of phrase.

Explanation of Solution

Given:

After an unusually dry autumn, a radio announcer is heard to say, “Watch out! We’ll pay for these sunny days later on this winter.”

The radio announcer is referring to the “law of averages”, which is not actually true. Therefore, the probability does not compensate for deviations from the expected outcome in therecent past. Since the weather is not more likely to be bad later on in the winterbecause of a few sunny days in autumn. Hence, the weather makes no conscious effortto even things out, which is the meaning of announcer’s statement.