Approximately how many murders will the average American child have seen on television by the time he or she is 18?
A. 2,000
B. 40,000
C. 100,000
D. 200,000
Answer (2)
Estimate the average hours of TV watched per day (3 hours) and the average number of murders shown per hour (5 murders).
Calculate the number of murders seen per day: 3 × 5 = 15 murders/day.
Calculate the number of murders seen per year: 15 × 365 = 5475 murders/year.
Calculate the number of murders seen by age 18: 5475 × 18 = 98550 .
Explanation
Problem Analysis We need to estimate the number of murders an average American child sees on television by the time they are 18. We will make reasonable estimations for the average hours of TV watched per day and the average number of murders shown on TV per hour.
Estimations Let's assume an average American child watches 3 hours of TV per day. Also, let's estimate that there are 5 murders shown on TV per hour.
Murders per Day Now, we calculate the number of murders seen per day: 3 hours/day × 5 murders/hour = 15 murders/day
Murders per Year Next, we calculate the number of murders seen per year: 15 murders/day × 365 days/year = 5475 murders/year
Murders by Age 18 Finally, we calculate the number of murders seen by age 18: 5475 murders/year × 18 years = 98550 murders
Final Answer Therefore, the average American child will have seen approximately 98,550 murders on television by the time he or she is 18. The closest answer choice is 100,000.
Examples
Understanding media consumption and its potential impact is crucial in modern society. For instance, estimating the amount of violent content a child is exposed to can inform parental decisions about media access and help advocate for responsible content creation. This type of estimation can also be applied to assess the impact of various media on different age groups, guiding public health initiatives and educational programs aimed at promoting media literacy and critical thinking.
The average American child is estimated to see about 98,550 murders on TV by age 18, making the closest answer option C, 100,000. This calculation is based on assumptions about daily TV consumption and the portrayal of violence. Understanding this exposure is important for discussions on media effects on children.
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