If the fraction of the population that is below the official poverty level has decreased, then
A)the number of poor must have increased
B)the number of poor must have decreased
C)the population must have increased
D)the number of poor may have increased or decreased
E)the number of people above the official poverty level must have increased

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fraction or percentage of the population below the official poverty level can decrease if the number of poor people has either decreased, remained the same, or even increased but at a slower rate than the overall population growth. Therefore, we cannot conclude anything about the actual number of poor people or the population size without additional information.

If the Fraction of the Population That Is Below the Official