Per Capita for Dummies
adjective
pronunciation: pər_'kæpɪtəWhat does Per Capita really mean?
Per Capita is a term we often hear in discussions about economics and population. It may seem like a complicated term, but let's break it down together in a simple and relatable way, so you can fully understand its meaning.
Imagine you are at a birthday party, and there is a large birthday cake. The cake represents a certain quantity, or amount, of something that we want to distribute among the guests, who are the people at the party. Now, if we want to make sure each person gets an equal share or portion of the cake, we would divide it into smaller pieces, right?
The term "per capita" works in a similar way. If we have a certain amount of something, let's say money or resources, and we want to distribute it equally among each person in a population, we would use "per capita." It helps us calculate the average or the amount each individual person gets.
The phrase "per capita" comes from Latin and it literally means "by the head." So, it refers to dividing an amount of something by the number of people in a group. We use "per capita" to compare data or statistics between different countries, regions, or groups of people.
For example, let's say we want to compare the average income of two countries. Country A has a total income of $100,000 and a population of 10 people. Country B has a total income of $200,000 and a population of 20 people. To figure out the average income per person, we would use "per capita." In this case, Country A would have an average income per capita of $10,000, while Country B would have an average income per capita of $10,000 as well.
So, we can say that "per capita" helps us understand how much of something, such as money, resources, or even happiness, is available for each person in a given group or population. It allows us to make fair comparisons and see the average of something when we take into account the number of people.
In summary, when we use the term "per capita," it means dividing the total amount of something by the number of people in order to calculate the average each person would receive. It helps us understand how much of something is available for each individual in a group or population.
Revised and Fact checked by Sophia Wright on 2023-10-29 19:48:38
Per Capita In a sentece
Learn how to use Per Capita inside a sentece
- Per capita income is the average amount of money earned by individuals in a country.
- The government measures the quality of life in a country by looking at the per capita expenditure on education.
- In a small town, each person had a per capita share of one loaf of bread during the food distribution program.
- The per capita consumption of chocolate in the country is increasing every year.
- The local government is planning to increase the per capita healthcare spending to improve access to medical services.
Per Capita Similar Words
Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.