According to the CDC there were 597,689 deaths in the US in 2010 attributed to heart disease. In Japan, there were 94,969 deaths attributed to heart disease and the population of Japan is about 128 million. If the United States were able to reduce its number of deaths to be proportional to that of Japan, about how many deaths due to heart disease would be expected? (round the nearest whole number)

If the United States were able to reduce its number of deaths to be proportional to that of Japan, 229,278 deaths due to heart disease would be expected.

Step-by-step explanation:

1. Let's review the information given to us to answer the question correctly:

Deaths in the US in 2010 attributed to heart disease = 597,689

Deaths in Japan in 2010 attributed to heart disease = 94,969

Population of Japan (estimated) = 128 million

Population of the US (estimated) = 309 million (taken from census.gov and rounding it to the next million)

2. If the United States were able to reduce its number of deaths to be proportional to that of Japan, about how many deaths due to heart disease would be expected?

A. Let's find out the proportion in Japan, this way:

Proportion in Japan = Deaths in Japan in 2010 attributed to heart disease/Population of Japan

Replacing with the values we know:

Proportion in Japan = 94,969/128'000,000

Proportion in Japan = 0.000742

B. Use the proportion in Japan to calculate the expected number of deaths in the US, this way:

Expected number of deaths in the US = Proportion in Japan * Population of the US

Expected number of deaths in the US = 0.000742 * 309 million

Expected number of deaths in the US = 229,278