JAMB 2019 Economics · Question 70

The birth rate in 1976 for a certain country with a population of 10m was 8.0. This means that in 1976,___________

Options

A.there were 80,000 live births in the country
B.there were 6,400 live births in the country
C.there were 8 live births to every 100 women in working-class families
D.8 in every 1000 women of 21 - 45 gave birth to a live child

Answer: A. there were 80,000 live births in the country

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: The question gives a birth rate of 8.0 for a country with a population of 10 million, and asks what this means.

Concept: The crude birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 of the population in a year:

Crude Birth Rate = (Number of live births ÷ Total population) × 1,000

Solution:

Rearranging for the number of live births:

Live births = (Birth rate × Population) ÷ 1,000

Live births = (8.0 × 10,000,000) ÷ 1,000

Live births = 80,000,000 ÷ 1,000 = 80,000

Checking the other options:

B (6,400): This doesn't match the calculation.
C: The birth rate isn't measured per 100 women, and it doesn't refer only to working-class families.
D: This describes a fertility rate (births per 1,000 women of child-bearing age), not the crude birth rate. The question gives total population, which points to the crude birth rate.

Answer: Option A, there were 80,000 live births in the country.

Exam tip: "Birth rate" in JAMB Economics normally means crude birth rate, which is per 1,000 of the total population. Remember: Births = Rate × Population ÷ 1,000. The same idea applies to the death rate. Don't mix it up with the fertility rate, which uses women of child-bearing age.

AI can make mistakes. Report anything that looks wrong.