\u201cI heard you have a new job, Dirk,\u201d said Barney, taking a sip of his beer.<\/p>\n
\u201cYea, I do, Barney, and it\u2019s a really great job because I get a lot of time off to go fishing at the lake,\u201d said Dirk Burton, master electrician, with a big grin on his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me all about it,\u201d replied Barney \u2013 all ears.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m working standby 24\/7 for Acme Hot-Plug Electronics, Inc., a large company with many branches. They have an average of seven emergencies per week that they want me to handle,\u201d explained Dirk, gulping down a large swig from his tall mug of beer.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s crazy, working 24\/7. How do you get any time to go fishing?\u201d asked an incredulous Barney, downing a big swig too.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo problem, Barney. As the number of emergencies to be handled is logged by midnight, the next morning they let me know by 8 am via SMS how many there are for me that day. If they don\u2019t need me, I get the day off,\u201d explained Dirk, ordering another beer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI get it. You could get up to seven emergencies in a day, or none at all,\u201d said Barney.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the deal,\u201d said Dirk, \u201cwith no emergencies reported, I hang up my \u2018GONE FISHING\u2019 sign on the front door and head for the lake. From there I check the phone until they need me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, that\u2019s the life,\u201d exclaimed Barney filled with admiration, and finishing his beer, \u201cgot any fish for sale?\u201d<\/p>\n
Can you work out the probability that Dirk will have at least three days off during any week?<\/em><\/p>\n How many weeks, on the average, do you think Dirk would have to work to experience one single day with seven emergencies?<\/em><\/p>\nShare this:<\/h3>