Final answer:
The labor force is the total of all people age 16 and older who are either employed or actively seeking work. To calculate the unemployment rate, the number of unemployed individuals is divided by the total labor force and then multiplied by 100.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines the labor force, more commonly called the labor force, as the sum of all persons age 16 and above who are either employed or actively seeking employment.
The labor force comprises individuals who are employed, meaning they are currently working for pay, and those who are unemployed, meaning they are out of work but actively looking for a job. Calculating the unemployment rate involves using a formula where the unemployment rate is the percentage of adults in the labor force who are not currently employed.