Which equation defines the Dependency Ratio?

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Multiple Choice

Which equation defines the Dependency Ratio?

The dependency ratio measures how many dependents there are per working-age person, capturing the potential burden on those who are typically in the labor force. It is defined as the number of dependents, usually children plus the elderly, divided by the working-age population. So the correct form is (children + elderly) / working-age population. This expresses dependents per worker, which is the standard way to convey the pressure on the productive part of the population. The other expressions invert the relationship or multiply the groups, neither of which yields a ratio that represents the burden on workers. If needed, this ratio is often shown as a percentage by multiplying by 100.

The dependency ratio measures how many dependents there are per working-age person, capturing the potential burden on those who are typically in the labor force. It is defined as the number of dependents, usually children plus the elderly, divided by the working-age population. So the correct form is (children + elderly) / working-age population. This expresses dependents per worker, which is the standard way to convey the pressure on the productive part of the population. The other expressions invert the relationship or multiply the groups, neither of which yields a ratio that represents the burden on workers. If needed, this ratio is often shown as a percentage by multiplying by 100.

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