Math Problem Statement

What is P(H+ | T+)?

Solution

This looks like an example of a Bayesian probability problem involving HIV testing. You want to calculate P(H+T+)P(H^+ | T^+), which is the posterior probability that the person actually has HIV given a positive test result.

The problem provides the following:

  • Prior probability P(H+)=0.06P(H^+) = 0.06, meaning 6% of the population has HIV.
  • False positive rate P(T+H)=0.05P(T^+ | H^-) = 0.05, the probability of a positive test given the person doesn't have HIV.
  • False negative rate P(TH+)=0.09P(T^- | H^+) = 0.09, the probability of a negative test given the person does have HIV.
  • We need to find P(T+H+)P(T^+ | H^+), the probability of a positive test result given the person has HIV, and P(TH)P(T^- | H^-), the probability of a negative test result given the person does not have HIV.

Let’s break it down:

Step 1: Understanding the conditional probabilities.

  • True Positive Rate: P(T+H+)=1P(TH+)=10.09=0.91P(T^+ | H^+) = 1 - P(T^- | H^+) = 1 - 0.09 = 0.91. This is the probability of a correct positive test result.
  • True Negative Rate: P(TH)=1P(T+H)=10.05=0.95P(T^- | H^-) = 1 - P(T^+ | H^-) = 1 - 0.05 = 0.95.

Step 2: Use Bayes’ Theorem to calculate the posterior probability P(H+T+)P(H^+ | T^+).

Bayes' Theorem states:

P(H+T+)=P(T+H+)P(H+)P(T+)P(H^+ | T^+) = \frac{P(T^+ | H^+) P(H^+)}{P(T^+)}

Where P(T+)P(T^+) is the total probability of testing positive, which can be found using the law of total probability:

P(T+)=P(T+H+)P(H+)+P(T+H)P(H)P(T^+) = P(T^+ | H^+) P(H^+) + P(T^+ | H^-) P(H^-)

Given P(H)=1P(H+)=0.94P(H^-) = 1 - P(H^+) = 0.94, and P(T+H)=0.05P(T^+ | H^-) = 0.05, we can calculate P(T+)P(T^+):

P(T+)=(0.91)(0.06)+(0.05)(0.94)P(T^+) = (0.91)(0.06) + (0.05)(0.94)

Now, using this, we can calculate the posterior probability P(H+T+)P(H^+ | T^+).

Let me do these calculations for you. Given probabilities P_H_plus = 0.06 # Prior probability of having HIV P_H_minus = 1 - P_H_plus # Prior probability of not having HIV

P_T_plus_given_H_plus = 0.91 # True positive rate P_T_plus_given_H_minus = 0.05 # False positive rate

Total probability of testing positive (P(T+))

P_T_plus = (P_T_plus_given_H_plus * P_H_plus) + (P_T_plus_given_H_minus * P_H_minus)

Posterior probability (P(H+ | T+)) using Bayes' Theorem

P_H_plus_given_T_plus = (P_T_plus_given_H_plus * P_H_plus) / P_T_plus

P_H_plus_given_T_plusThe posterior probability P(H+T+)P(H^+ | T^+), which is the probability that a person has HIV given a positive test result, is approximately 0.537 or 53.7%.

This means that despite a positive test result, there is about a 53.7% chance that the person actually has HIV, given the prior probability and the test characteristics.

Would you like more details or clarification on any part of this? Here are some related questions to explore further:

  1. How does the false positive rate affect the result of the test?
  2. What would happen if the false negative rate were lower or higher?
  3. How do prior probabilities influence the posterior probability in Bayesian inference?
  4. How can we calculate the probability of testing negative given the person does not have HIV?
  5. How do you calculate joint probabilities for other conditions in Bayesian problems?

Tip: Always check the sensitivity (true positive rate) and specificity (true negative rate) of a test when interpreting its results, as they play a crucial role in determining the accuracy of the test.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Bayesian Probability
Conditional Probability
Joint Probability

Formulas

Bayes' Theorem: P(H+ | T+) = (P(T+ | H+) * P(H+)) / P(T+)
Law of Total Probability: P(T+) = P(T+ | H+) * P(H+) + P(T+ | H-) * P(H-)

Theorems

Bayes' Theorem
Law of Total Probability

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 11-12