Study guides & original practice
Population growth rate practice
Population change combines births, deaths, immigration and emigration. Natural increase excludes migration, so it is not always the same as total population growth.
By ExamCat · Original study lesson · Published September 24, 2026
Understand the method
Use the same time interval for all components. A rate requires a denominator such as the starting population or the population estimate specified by the question. Do not mix percentages with rates per thousand without converting.
Worked example, step by step
An invented town starts a year with 10,000 residents. It records 150 births, 90 deaths, 200 arrivals and 160 departures.
- Natural increase is 150 − 90 = 60 people.
- Net migration is 200 − 160 = 40 people.
- Total change is 100 people, making the ending population 10,100.
- Using the starting population as the denominator, the annual change is 100/10,000 × 100 = 1%.
A mistake to watch for
Births exceeding deaths does not guarantee total growth if net out-migration is larger. Always decide whether the question asks for natural increase or the complete population balance.
Try it yourself: three questions
Write an answer before opening the explanation. For calculations, keep your units and intermediate steps; for concepts, state the reason for your choice.
1. Births are 80, deaths 100 and net migration +50. Find total change.
Show answer and explanation
−20 + 50 = +30 people. Migration more than offsets natural decrease.
2. A rate is 12 per thousand. Express it as a percentage.
Show answer and explanation
1.2%, since 12/1,000 = 0.012.
3. Can these one-year values prove next year will grow by the same rate?
Show answer and explanation
No. Components can change. A projection that holds them fixed is an assumption, not an observed future outcome.
Build your next practice session
Mark the first step where your reasoning differed from the explanation. Turn that step into a question, answer it without looking, then change one condition in the example and explain what would change. A correct guess is a reason to revisit the method.
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Further reading
AP Human Geography course overview provides textbook background. The worked scenario and practice questions on this page were written independently for ExamCat.
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