Zipf's Law, developed by George Zipf in 1949, states that in a given country, the population of a city is inversely proportional to the city's rank by size in the country.116 Assuming Zipf's Law:(a)Write a formula for the population, P, of a city as a function of its rank, R.(b)If the constant of proportionality k is 300,000, what is the approximate population of the largest city (rank 1)? The second largest city (rank 2)? The third largest city?(c)Answer the questions of part (b) if k = 6 million.(d)Interpret the meaning of the constant of proportionality k in this context.

Algebra and Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
4th Edition
ISBN:9781305071742
Author:James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, Saleem Watson
Publisher:James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, Saleem Watson
Chapter1: Equations And Graphs
Section1.CT: Chapter Test
Problem 17CT: The maximum weight M that can be supported by a beam is jointly proportional to its width w and the...
icon
Related questions
Question

Zipf's Law, developed by George Zipf in 1949, states that in a given country, the population of a city is inversely proportional to the city's rank by size in the country.116 Assuming Zipf's Law:
(a)
Write a formula for the population, P, of a city as a function of its rank, R.
(b)
If the constant of proportionality k is 300,000, what is the approximate population of the largest city (rank 1)? The second largest city (rank 2)? The third largest city?
(c)
Answer the questions of part (b) if k = 6 million.
(d)
Interpret the meaning of the constant of proportionality k in this context.

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 5 steps with 5 images

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Relations
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, calculus and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
Recommended textbooks for you
Algebra and Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
Algebra and Trigonometry (MindTap Course List)
Algebra
ISBN:
9781305071742
Author:
James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, Saleem Watson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Algebra & Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry
Algebra & Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry
Algebra
ISBN:
9781133382119
Author:
Swokowski
Publisher:
Cengage
College Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9781337282291
Author:
Ron Larson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
College Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9781305115545
Author:
James Stewart, Lothar Redlin, Saleem Watson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Algebra: Structure And Method, Book 1
Algebra: Structure And Method, Book 1
Algebra
ISBN:
9780395977224
Author:
Richard G. Brown, Mary P. Dolciani, Robert H. Sorgenfrey, William L. Cole
Publisher:
McDougal Littell
College Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra
ISBN:
9781938168383
Author:
Jay Abramson
Publisher:
OpenStax