Not sure if i should post this here

  • Thread starter stonecoldgen
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In summary, the conversation discussed the estimation of the number of taxis in Boston using statistics and maximum likelihood methods. It was also mentioned that there are 1825 legally licensed taxis in Boston and roughly 4400 in the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The conversation then moved on to discuss the number of possible phone numbers in an area code, with the conclusion that there are 215 million possible phone numbers in the North American numbering plan and 800 possible area codes for numbers from 300 to 999.
  • #1
stonecoldgen
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This is from my AP Statistics class and i already gave my super-educated guess, I am just posting it here to see how do you guys reason it



Here's the problem:

Suppose you live on scenic Beacon Hill in Boston and decide that, between the high costs of gasoline and parking, owning a car is just not affordable at this time. You're worried, naturally, about how you'll get around but know that you can take advantage of the new and improved public transportation system to get to work and to most of the locations you visit. You will, however, need to take a taxi when shopping for your groceries each week, and being the type of person who worries about everything, you spend many sleepless nights wondering about just how many taxis there are available in Boston.

While on a shopping trip down Boston's historic and fashionable Newbury Street on a beautiful spring day, you notice nine taxis drive by with the following medallion numbers:

594, 1211, 1633, 1195, 108, 697, 825, 474, 286

Assuming that taxi medallion numbers in Boston run in sequence from 1 to N, you'd like to estimate N, the number of taxi medallions ( and hence, the number of taxis ) available in Boston. Thank goodness you're a statistics student!
 
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  • #2
stonecoldgen said:
This is from my AP Statistics class and i already gave my super-educated guess, I am just posting it here to see how do you guys reason it



Here's the problem:

Suppose you live on scenic Beacon Hill in Boston and decide that, between the high costs of gasoline and parking, owning a car is just not affordable at this time. You're worried, naturally, about how you'll get around but know that you can take advantage of the new and improved public transportation system to get to work and to most of the locations you visit. You will, however, need to take a taxi when shopping for your groceries each week, and being the type of person who worries about everything, you spend many sleepless nights wondering about just how many taxis there are available in Boston.

While on a shopping trip down Boston's historic and fashionable Newbury Street on a beautiful spring day, you notice nine taxis drive by with the following medallion numbers:

594, 1211, 1633, 1195, 108, 697, 825, 474, 286

Assuming that taxi medallion numbers in Boston run in sequence from 1 to N, you'd like to estimate N, the number of taxi medallions ( and hence, the number of taxis ) available in Boston. Thank goodness you're a statistics student!

According to "Maximum Likelihood" methods the number N of taxis should be chosen so likelihood of actual sample is maximized. Likelihood of any occurring number is 1 / N so if M taxis observed, the likelihood of total sample is (1/N) ^ M which is maximized for minimum possible N, i.e the highest taxi number detected. So N = 1633 should be "expected". That answer may appear counterintuitive - but is what theory suggests, as I understand. But I am neither mathematics professional or student. :approve:
 
  • #3
stonecoldgen said:
Thank goodness you're a statistics student!

I assume it's "thank goodness you're a statistics student" because a statistics student is smart enough to know how to pick up the phone and call city hall and ask how many taxis there are. :smile:
 
  • #4
But what was your "super educated guess"?
 
  • #5
Guys forgive me for joining just to answer you question. There are 1825 legally licensed hackney carriages (taxis) in the city of Boston. Other communities surrounding Boston license their own taxis. Brookline has roughly 100, Cambridge has roughly 300 etc. etc.

There are around 4,400 in the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There are around 9,000 Livery plates in the Commonwealth.

The total number of for hire cars in the Commonwealth is less then the number of Yellow Cabs in Manhattan.

I could answer taxi questions all day. If you have any more please ask.

I have a question for you guys though.. how many possible phone numbers are there in an area code.

Take for example area code 617 yxx-xxxx

y can not be the numeral 1 or 0.
 
  • #6
BostonCab said:
I have a question for you guys though.. how many possible phone numbers are there in an area code.

Take for example area code 617 yxx-xxxx

y can not be the numeral 1 or 0.

Well, that leaves all the numbers from 200-0000 to 999-9999 which is 8,000,000
 
  • #7
269 US area codes with 800,000 possible phone numbers each means there are 215 million possible phone numbers. The north American numbering plan will add 1 digit to every phone by 2031 in order to increase the pool of available phone numbers.

How many possible area codes are there ? (yyx)

y can be any digit besides 1 or 0.
 
  • #8
I actually messed that up..

yxx

y can not be 1 or 0

How many potential area codes are there? I am guessing it is a number less than 999? Sorry.. It is hard to write out equations on a steering wheel.
 
  • #9
BostonCab said:
I actually messed that up..

yxx

y can not be 1 or 0

How many potential area codes are there? I am guessing it is a number less than 999? Sorry.. It is hard to write out equations on a steering wheel.

all the numbers from 300 to 999, which is 800. This is just the previous question with everything multiplied by 1000
 

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