Populations Pyramids

Assignment
Description
Overview Formatting Guidelines
Overview
In the video, “Population pyramids: Powerful predictors of the future” by Kim Preshoff, the structure of populations pyramids – or vertical bar charts which display population numbers by sex and age group in a country – is examined. The video discusses how changes in the population pyramid’s structure reflect changes in a country’s development, war, famine, or other drastic events, like pandemics.
In this assignment you will think about how statistical information is impacted by social changes.
Instructions
STEP 1: Review
Begin by viewing the video “Population pyramids: Powerful predictors of the future. “Links to an external site.

Begin by viewing the video “Population pyramids: Powerful predictors of the future.”Links to an external site.

STEP 2: Consider how population number are used

Start by thinking about: what aspects of society use population numbers?
Population numbers are vitally important in how societies and countries for a number of things: the number of schools and teachers needed, higher education, road building, government services, etc. For example, cities use population numbers and information on housing to know where new roads need to be built. School districts use those same numbers for people under 18 to plan for opening or closing schools. In the criminal justice system, population numbers are used to estimate the size of a police force, prison building/closing, and needed juvenile justice facilities, for instance.

STEP 3: Discuss the impact of inaccurate population numbers

• Now that you have thought about how countries use population numbers and statistics, like those seen in the video, pick the county from the video and discuss, would happen in that country if some of those population estimates were off?
• How would that impact schools, roads, city governments, criminal justice organizations, and any other civic organization, for example (you don’t have to talk about them, just a few elements of society you think may be impacted)?
• What do you think would happen to those elements if the population estimates were “overestimated” or “underestimated”?

STEP 4: Proofread & Submit

1. Proofread your assignment for spelling, grammar, APA, and content. Consider reading it aloud to yourself to more easily identify errors.
2. Submit your assignment according to the Formatting Guidelines. Assignments should be submitted as a Word document (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text file (.rtf).