Example 6 uses a very common mathematical term: probability. In the context of Example 6, probability is a number that represents the likelihood that the mother and baby fur seals locate each other. Note that the probabilities are between 0 and 1, including 0 and 1. Probabilities can be written as fractions, decimals or percents. You will study probability in greater detail in Chapter 8.

Canada is one of six countries that permits seal hunting, or “sealing.” The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans regulates the seal hunt in Canada through setting quotas, monitoring the population, and training sealers on new Marine Mammal Regulations.

Do you oppose sealing and want to learn about efforts to save the seals? Visit The Humane Society of The United States website for more information.

The pup's chance of survival decreases as the number of trips by the mother increases. Since there is a chance of failure on any given trip, there will be more chances for failure on multiple trips. For example, if the pup does nothing and the mother calls 17 times per minute, there will be about a 95% chance of success, but the chance of success on two trips drops to (0.95)(0.95) = 0.9025, or 90.25%. On three trips, the chance of success drops to (0.95)(0.95)(0.95) ≈ 0.857, or 85.7%, and so on.