Bermuda Basics
Where is the Bermuda Triangle located?
In the ocean south and east of Florida.
What is a decade?
10 Years
Why does the author give the example of hearing a tiger in the grass?
To show that human brains naturally look for patterns, especially when we think we may be in danger.
What type of math does the author say can help us determine whether a pattern is real?
Statistics.
What is the main idea of the article?
People think the Bermuda Triangle is unusually dangerous, but statistics show it is no more dangerous than other similar areas.
What happened to Lt. Charles C. Taylor and the five planes in 1945?
They disappeared during a training mission and were never found.
What is a coincidence?
An unplanned/chance event in which things happen together.
Why might people connect several missing ships or planes even when the events are unrelated?
Our brains naturally try to find patterns and explanations.
How many major plane crashes occurred within eight days in July 2014?
3
TRUE or FALSE: The author believes UFOs are probably responsible for Bermuda Triangle disappearances.
False
What three places form the points of the Bermuda Triangle?
Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Miami, Florida.
What does bizarre mean?
very strange, odd, or unusual.
Why is it difficult to find a plane or ship after it sinks in the ocean?
The ocean is extremely large and deep.
At first, three crashes in eight days seemed extremely unlikely. What did the statistician realize he needed to consider?
The chances of three crashes happening within ANY eight-day period over an entire 10-year period.
What evidence does the U.S. National Ocean Service provide about the Bermuda Triangle?
There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances happen there more frequently than in other large, well-traveled areas of ocean.
Name ONE unusual theory people have used to explain disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle.
UFOs, Atlantis, hidden dimensions, gas bubbles, or microbursts.
What are statistics?
A branch of math that uses data to help identify and understand patterns.
Why are there many opportunities for accidents in the Bermuda Triangle?
Many ships and planes regularly travel through the area.
What was the chance that three major crashes would occur during an eight-day period at some point over 10 years?
6 in 10
Why does the author mention that major airlines and shipping companies regularly travel through the Bermuda Triangle?
It shows that many trips through the area happen safely.
According to the author, what important question should people ask before trying to explain the Bermuda Triangle?
Is there actually a pattern that needs to be explained?
What is the null hypothesis in this article?
The idea that there may be no real pattern or mystery and the events could be random coincidences.
Why shouldn't we only count the accidents that happen in the Bermuda Triangle?
We also need to count the trips that happen safely and compare the area with other similar areas.
What lesson does the airplane example teach us about coincidences?
Events can look like an unusual pattern when we don't consider the bigger picture and all the opportunities for coincidences to happen.
What does the author ultimately conclude about the Bermuda Triangle?
Statistics show that the Bermuda Triangle is a myth rather than a real mysterious phenomenon.