Worked example
Town A records 20 events among 1,000 residents; B records 30 among 3,000. Which has the higher event rate?
Answer & why
Answer: Town A
A has 20 per 1,000; B has 10 per 1,000.
Grade 10 · Social studies
Compare population rates fairly
Normalize invented population counts and distinguish relative change from raw totals.
6 authored questions + worked example
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All questions
All 6 authored questions for this skill.
Question 1
A report gives 12 events per 1,000 residents. At that rate, how many events correspond to a population of 5,000?
- 6,000
- 60
- 17
- 12
A hint
Use the stated denominator and time period; raw counts and rates answer different questions.
Answer & why
Answer: 60
Five groups of 1,000 correspond to 5 × 12 = 60 events.
Question 2
Two towns report the same total births, but one has twice the population. Which has the lower births-per-resident rate?
- Both must have the same rate.
- The smaller town.
- Population size cannot affect a per-resident rate.
- The town with twice the population.
A hint
Use the stated denominator and time period; raw counts and rates answer different questions.
Answer & why
Answer: The town with twice the population.
The same numerator divided by a larger population gives a lower rate.
Question 3
Town A's population grows by 10% from 100; Town B grows by 5% from 1,000. Which adds more people?
- Town B
- Both add 10.
- Both add 5.
- Town A
A hint
Use the stated denominator and time period; raw counts and rates answer different questions.
Answer & why
Answer: Town B
A adds 10; B adds 50. A higher percentage need not be a larger count.
Question 4
A graph shows a region's median age rising. Does that statistic alone identify why it rose?
- Yes; it gives every resident's age.
- Yes; it proves a single cause.
- No; several demographic changes could influence it.
- No; a median is always a total.
A hint
Use the stated denominator and time period; raw counts and rates answer different questions.
Answer & why
Answer: No; several demographic changes could influence it.
An age-distribution summary does not isolate births, deaths or migration effects.
Question 5
Town A records 20 events among 1,000 residents; B records 30 among 3,000. Which has the higher event rate?
- A rate cannot use a population denominator.
- They have equal rates.
- Town A
- Town B
A hint
Use the stated denominator and time period; raw counts and rates answer different questions.
Answer & why
Answer: Town A
A has 20 per 1,000; B has 10 per 1,000.
Question 6
A population rises from 2,000 to 2,100 in one year. What is the percentage increase?
- 105%
- 5%
- 100%
- 0.5%
A hint
Use the stated denominator and time period; raw counts and rates answer different questions.
Answer & why
Answer: 5%
The increase is 100; 100 ÷ 2,000 × 100% = 5%.