Decisions about alpha level may be different, especially as it relates from hard sciences to social sciences. For example, a medical trial for cancer treatments conducts their statistical tests at an alpha of 0.01% or 0.0001 - meaning that for every 1 out of 10,000 patients, there may be issues, sickness or even death.

Here are some other situations that have a probability of failure. At what ''failure level'', meaning alpha would you be satisfied safety-wise or performance-wise. (This would be the percent that failed the testing)

1. Breaking system on the car you want to buy

2. The likelihood of driver injury if this car were T-boned at 15 mph on the driver's side

3. A new math program for your children

4. EPA's regulation on bacteria in a water supply

5. EPA's regulation on methane emissions from oil/gas wells-serious greenhouse gas (limits just rolled back significantly)

6. Gas station storage tanks leakage (into soil and groundwater) probability

7. Cancer cases from benzene in refinery treated wastewater discharges to a stream (EPA regs just rolled back)

8. Stock price going up in a stock you are considering purchasing

9. Brother-in-law's wanting a loan and saying ti will be paid back in a month

10. Vitamin's claim of increased health (define health any way you like)

Add any other issues you want a specific probability for. Any you can find in the literature that have a probability?

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