Final answer:
An example of absolute poverty is when a family earns less than a specific income threshold deemed necessary to meet basic living standards, such as less than $10,000 a year. This differs from relative poverty, which is based on the median income of society.
Step-by-step explanation:
A definition of poverty in absolute terms is: A family is in poverty if it receives less than $10,000 a year in money income. This is because absolute poverty refers to a condition where a family or individual cannot afford the basic necessities required for survival, which is measured against a fixed dollar amount.
Relative poverty, on the other hand, is measured against the median income levels of a society, and a family is considered in relative poverty if it receives an income significantly below the societal norm. The definition concerning the lowest 5 percent of income recipients or the comparison with the majority of family incomes falls into the category of relative rather than absolute poverty.