Apportionment and the Alabama Paradox

This video lecture covers section 2.7 on apportionment, focusing on Hamilton's method and related paradoxes. It explains how to calculate fair shares for states based on population and assign seats accordingly. The lecture also discusses various paradoxes that can arise, such as the Alabama paradox, new states paradox, and population paradox, providing historical examples to illustrate these concepts.

What is the primary goal of the apportionment problem discussed in the lecture?

• To calculate the total population of a country

• To find the average population of each state

• To assign legislative seats based on state populations

• To determine the number of states in a country

In Hamilton's Method, what is done with the decimal portion of the fair share?

• It is rounded up to the nearest whole number

• It is ignored and thrown away

• It is used to assign leftover seats

• It is multiplied by the total number of seats

What is the first step in applying Hamilton's Method to a set of states?

• Assign seats randomly

• Calculate the total number of seats

• Determine the percentage population of each state

• Round up all decimal portions

In the example provided, how many extra seats were available after rounding down the fair shares?

• Four

• One

• Two

• Three

What is the Alabama paradox?

• A state gains seats when a new state is added

• A state maintains the same number of seats despite population changes

• A state loses seats when the total number of seats increases

• A state gains population but loses seats

What historical event is associated with the Alabama paradox?

• The 1900 census

• The addition of Oklahoma as a state

• The 1880 census

• The 19th-century apportionment

What is the new states paradox?

• A new state receives more seats than it should

• A new state does not affect existing states

• A new state causes existing states to gain seats

• A new state causes existing states to lose seats

Which state gained a seat due to the new states paradox when Oklahoma was added?

• California

• Virginia

• Maine

• Alabama

What is the population paradox?

• A state gains seats without population change

• A state gains population but loses seats

• A state loses population and gains seats

• A state maintains the same population and seats

Which state lost a seat to Maine despite population growth in the 1900 census?

• Virginia

• Alabama

• California

• Oklahoma