Need math help!

limblips

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
The Census Bureau said Wednesday that 72 percent of American households mailed back their 2010 census forms, the same rate as in 2000. Robert M. Groves, the census director, said that with response rates to most surveys declining for decades, he had expected that the 2000 rate would be "beyond reach.” He said the rate this year was helped because everyone got a short form and because follow-up forms were mailed when prompt responses were not received. Beginning Saturday, 600,000 enumerators will go door-to-door to find the up to 48 million households that failed to respond.


If they know what percentage responded, they know what percentage didn't. Since they know that 48 million households didn't respond, then why can't they apply the US average household numbers to the 48 million and save having to send out 600,000(1 for every 80 households?????) enumerators. It seems to me they must have a lot of info to be able to know how many did not respond!
 

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
The Census Bureau said Wednesday that 72 percent of American households mailed back their 2010 census forms, the same rate as in 2000. Robert M. Groves, the census director, said that with response rates to most surveys declining for decades, he had expected that the 2000 rate would be "beyond reach.” He said the rate this year was helped because everyone got a short form and because follow-up forms were mailed when prompt responses were not received. Beginning Saturday, 600,000 enumerators will go door-to-door to find the up to 48 million households that failed to respond.


If they know what percentage responded, they know what percentage didn't. Since they know that 48 million households didn't respond, then why can't they apply the US average household numbers to the 48 million and save having to send out 600,000(1 for every 80 households?????) enumerators. It seems to me they must have a lot of info to be able to know how many did not respond!

Well, if the census takers come to MY place; hard to tell if I'll be home or not. I hardly ever know when I'll be home, myself; but I eventually get there.
 

TurboK9

New Member
The Census Bureau said Wednesday that 72 percent of American households mailed back their 2010 census forms, the same rate as in 2000. Robert M. Groves, the census director, said that with response rates to most surveys declining for decades, he had expected that the 2000 rate would be "beyond reach.” He said the rate this year was helped because everyone got a short form and because follow-up forms were mailed when prompt responses were not received. Beginning Saturday, 600,000 enumerators will go door-to-door to find the up to 48 million households that failed to respond.


If they know what percentage responded, they know what percentage didn't. Since they know that 48 million households didn't respond, then why can't they apply the US average household numbers to the 48 million and save having to send out 600,000(1 for every 80 households?????) enumerators. It seems to me they must have a lot of info to be able to know how many did not respond!


A better question...

Why do we do a census, when we all pay taxes, and claim our dependants, and such? I mean, why can't they use IRS data to interpolate the population?

Oh yeah. Illegal aliens.... I forgot. Same ones that will avoid the census takers like the plague....
 

Dymphna

Loyalty, Friendship, Love
Knowing the approximate number of households, doesn't mean they know the exact number and how many people live in each household. The percentage returned is based on the number of forms mailed out. People with PO Boxes didn't get forms. Those people need to be counted too.

Not everyone pays taxes. Unemployed people don't pay income tax. They count too. Also, if grandma is living with you, she may or may not be listed as a dependent. She may or may not pay taxes, depending on whether she is getting any income.

Yes, the census could make a reasonable estimate of the number of people based on other sources of information, however, that has been ruled in the past to be unconstitutional. The census is mandated by the Constitution. If they were to base their information on estimates, someone would be screaming about how those estimates are made. Statistics can be manipulated. And given that representation in Congress is dictated by those numbers, someone would be screaming about how unfair that representation is. Sooo, the Census department has to take on the logistical nightmare of counting every specific person, not estimating it.
 

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
Knowing the approximate number of households, doesn't mean they know the exact number and how many people live in each household. The percentage returned is based on the number of forms mailed out. People with PO Boxes didn't get forms. Those people need to be counted too.

Not everyone pays taxes. Unemployed people don't pay income tax. They count too. Also, if grandma is living with you, she may or may not be listed as a dependent. She may or may not pay taxes, depending on whether she is getting any income.

Yes, the census could make a reasonable estimate of the number of people based on other sources of information, however, that has been ruled in the past to be unconstitutional. The census is mandated by the Constitution. If they were to base their information on estimates, someone would be screaming about how those estimates are made. Statistics can be manipulated. And given that representation in Congress is dictated by those numbers, someone would be screaming about how unfair that representation is. Sooo, the Census department has to take on the logistical nightmare of counting every specific person, not estimating it.

I wondered why I didn't get a census form. So, we "P.O. Boxers" should expect a visit from a census taker? What timeframe?
 

TPD

the poor dad
Who gets to count the homeless? Are they counted since they are not "households"? Are they represented in congress? :sarcasm:
 

Dymphna

Loyalty, Friendship, Love
Who gets to count the homeless? Are they counted since they are not "households"? Are they represented in congress? :sarcasm:
Not sure why you are being sarcastic :confused: The fact is they ARE counted, at least as much as possible given that they are hard to track down and yes, their numbers are used in determining congressional representation.
 
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