Population in U.S.

Assuming exponential growth, calculate the rate of increase for the human population in the United States from 1900 to 1910 using the data below. Use this rate to estimate the population size of the United States in 1990. Using this rate, find in what year the population was 100 million.

Repeat this exercise using the rate of increase from 1960 to 1970 to estimate population size in 1990 for the United States and to find in what year the population was 100 million.

Which rate provided the best estimate of population size in 1990? Which rate provided the best estimate of the year when the population was 100 million? Provide reasons that might account for differences in these calculations.

Year United States Population

1790

3,900,000

1800

5,300,000

1810

7,200,000

1820

9,600,000

1830

12,800,000

1840

17,000,000

1850

23,200,000

1860

31,400,000

1870

38,600,000

1900

76,094,000

1910

92,407,000

1920

106,466,000

1930

123,077,000

1940

131,954,000

1950

151,868,000

1960

179,975,000

1970

206,827,000

1980

229,466,000