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File 03The Base-Rate Machine

The Base-Rate Machine

Why a positive test usually isn't.

Drag two sliders — how common a thing is, and how accurate the test is — and watch most “positive” results turn out to be false alarms. The rarer the thing, the more a single alarm lies to you.

Interactivethe base-rate machinedrag the sliders

Out of 100 people, 14 test positive — but only 4 are actually sick.

A positive test means you're really sick about 29% of the time.

  • sick & flagged
  • false alarm
  • sick, missed
  • healthy