Question

The town of Brighton has a population of 12,096 and an area of 15 square miles. The town of Pauling has the same population density as Brighton and an area of 22.5 square miles. What is the population of Pauling?

a) 18,144
b) 19,200
c) 20,160
d) 21,120

Answer 1

The population of Pauling is found by calculating the population density of Brighton, which is 806.4 people per square mile, and then multiplying this density by Pauling's area, resulting in a population of 18,144 for Pauling.

Step-by-step explanation:

The population density of a town is defined as the number of people per square mile. The town of Brighton's population density can be calculated by dividing its population by its area. Then, we can use this population density to calculate the population of the town of Pauling, which has the same population density but a different area.

To find Brighton's population density:

1. Divide Brighton's population (12,096) by its area (15 square miles).
2. Population Density of Brighton = 12,096 ÷ 15 = 806.4 people per square mile.

Now we use this population density to find the population of Pauling:

1. Multiply the population density by the area of Pauling (22.5 square miles).
2. Population of Pauling = 806.4 * 22.5 = 18,144.

Therefore, the answer is (a) 18,144.