The following quote is from USA Today (January 21, 2010): Most Americans think the Census is important, and the majority say they will participate in the count this spring- although Hispanics, younger people and the less educated are not as enthusiastic, a Pew Research Center survey found. The poll of 1504 adults found that perceptions differ: 74% of blacks and 72% of Hispanics rate the Census "very important" vs. 57% of whites. Believing it's important doesn't necessarily mean participating: Fewer than half of Hispanics, 57% of blacks and 61% of whites say they will fill out and mail the forms. Age is the greatest factor in participation: Only 36% of respondents who are 30 or younger say they will definitely participate. Suppose that it is reasonable to regard survey participants as representative of adult Americans.
a. Suppose that an adult American is to be selected at random and consider the following events: I = the event that the selected individual thinks that the Census is very important W = the event that the selected individual is white Are the events I and W independent or dependent events? Explain.
b. Give an example of two census-related events different than the ones defined in Part (a) and indicate whether they are independent or dependent events. Explain your reasoning.