The changing age distribution of the United States. The distribution of the ages of a nation's population has a strong influence on economic and social conditions. Table 11.5 shows the age distribution of U.S. residents in 1950 and 2075, in millions of persons. The 1950 data come from that year's census. The 2075 data are projections made by the Census Bureau
(a) Because the total population in 2075 is much larger than the 1950 population, comparing percentages in each age group is clearer than comparing counts. Make a table of the percentage of the total population in each age group for both 1950 and 2075.
(b) Make a histogram of the 1950 age distribution (in percents). Then describe the main features of the distribution. In particular, look at the percentage of children relative to the rest of the population.
(c) Make a histogram of the projected age distribution for the year 2075. Use the same scales as in (b) for easy comparison. What are the most important changes in the U.S. age distribution projected for the 125-year period between 1950 and 2075?