High School

In Country X, the life expectancy of an individual is 66. Which response best explains this statement?

A. The average age at which people die is 66.
B. The age at which women die is 66.
C. There are very few people over 66 in that country.
D. There are more people over the age of 66 than below.

Answer :

The statement "the life expectancy of an individual is 66" means that, on average, individuals in Country X are expected to live until the age of 66. Here's a detailed explanation of why each option is chosen or not:

A. The average age at which people die is 66 - This is the best explanation. Life expectancy is a statistical measure that averages the age at death of people from the same birth cohort. So, saying the life expectancy is 66 means that, on average, people live to about 66 years.

B. The age at which women die is 66 - This statement is not accurate. Life expectancy refers to the overall average, not specifically to any gender unless specified. In most cases, women tend to have a higher life expectancy than men.

C. There are very few people over 66 in that country - This might not be true. Life expectancy does not dictate the number of people over a certain age, but rather the average age at death. There can still be a significant number of people living beyond 66.

D. There are more people over the age of 66 than below - This option is incorrect in the context of life expectancy. Life expectancy doesn’t directly indicate how the population is distributed above or below that age.

Thus, Option A is the correct interpretation of the statement regarding life expectancy.