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Math / Statistics / Grade 7 / mt7e1

Two Questions, Two Denominators

Compare how many errors were caught with how many flags actually identified errors.

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Watch the lesson | Compare another checked batch

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Learn the skill

Use independently checked records, not flags alone. To find the fraction of errors caught, divide flagged errors by ALL checked errors, including missed ones. To find the fraction of flags that identify errors, divide flagged errors by ALL checked flags, including false alarms. These fractions answer different questions. State which group is counted. Missing checks cannot be labeled correct or wrong. These invented checked batches do not establish performance on future records.

Worked example

In a separate checked batch, there are 5 actual errors. A rule flags 4 of them and also flags 6 correct records. It catches 4/5 of the errors. Among its 10 flags, 4/10 identify errors. Both fractions use 4 on top, but the denominators are different.

Worked example shows 4 flagged errors and 1 missed error, and 4 flagged errors with 6 false alarms. The resulting fractions are 4 out of 5 errors caught and 4 out of 10 flags identifying errors.
The shared numerator does not make the two denominators interchangeable.

Checked batch

In an invented batch of 20 independently checked records, there are 4 errors and 16 correct records. Rule A flags 3 errors and 5 correct records. Rule B flags 2 errors and 2 correct records. Neither rule changes the records. Separately, 3 more flagged records have no independent checks; they are NOT included in the 20 checked records.

Question 1 For Rule A, what fraction of the 4 checked errors was caught?
Question 2 For Rule A, what fraction of its checked flags identify errors?
Question 3 Compare B with A on this checked batch. Which statement is true?
Question 4 Can we count the 3 additional unchecked flags as errors to improve a result?
Question 5 Does this one checked batch prove Rule B will be best on every future batch?