Was this the I robot thing? Anyway the kid.

Adult, more to offer the world and I'm far more likely to succeed in saving a life.

Adult

Under those odds, I'd chose the adult.

Oh damn, I really can't pick... 10% is a very small possibility, but I'm still going with the kid. If I failed, least s/he would know that at least someone tried to save them. Adults also have the higher chance to be able to save themselves.

Assuming I know nothing about the people I'm saving, the only rational answer is to save the adult. What we are actually trying to do is maximise the amount the saved person will positively contribute to society, since we know nothing about either, if we assume the average citizen has a net positive impact on society, this amounts to maximising the number of years the saved person is contributing for. If we say that the average person is contributing between ages 25-65, if we opt to save the kid the expected number of contributing years added is 4. If we opt to save the adult, roughly approximating the age of the average adult to be 45, we add an expected 12 years.

So opting to save the adult has an expected desirably impact of three times that of opting to save the kid. Only a sociopath would opt to save the kid.

The adult, obviously.

Can I up the kids chances to 20% if I go at it expecting to die?

The one that can immediately start contributing to society.

Kid

The kid.

First aid training tells you to always attend to the highest chance of survivability, provided both are critical. If the adult is stable, attend the child.

The kid since the kid hasn't lived his life yet and deserves to have a chance, even if a small one, to experience more of it.

The adult has already lived a good chunk of his/her life. That's how I weighed it.

Save them from what? I ain't going into a burning building, fighting off a bear, or treading through deep water if they are an adult. Sorry save yourself and if they can't I hope they lived a good life. Respawn and be more careful next time.

@shaladue: Lmao

A kid and an adult together in a life threatening situation.. I'm gonna assume they're likely related and that the adult will probably vow revenge against me for not saving the kid instead with some twisted survivor's guilt type logic, so I'll go for the kid.