A study over a 10-year period showed that a certain mammogram test had a 50 percent rate of false positives. This indicates that:
A)about half the tests indicated cancer.
B)about half the tests missed a cancer that exists.
C)about half the tests showed a cancer that didn't exist.
D)about half the women tested actually had no cancer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A false positive result means that the test showed the presence of cancer when it wasn't actually there. So, in this case, 50 percent of the tests showed a cancer that didn't exist. Therefore choice C is the most appropriate answer.

A Study Over a 10-Year Period Showed That a Certain