Since 1950 the U.S. workforce has seen the arrival of the Baby Boomers and the changing role of women, among other influences. The data in the table show the millions of men and women in the U.S. workforce for selected years from 1950 and projected to 2050. Complete the following to explore the dynamics of the changing roles of men and women in the workforce.
(a) With x representing the number of years past 1950, use the data in the table to find a linear model for the number of men in the workforce, m(x), and a model for the number of women in the workforce, w(x). Report each model with three significant digits.
(b) Use the results from part (a) to find the function r(x) that gives the ratio of men to women in the U.S. workforce.
(c) Find limx†’0 r(x) and limx†’100 r(x), and interpret their meanings.
(d) Find limx†’ˆžr(x) and interpret its meaning.

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Workforce (in millions) Men Year Women 18.4 1950 43.8 1960 46.4 23.2 51.2 31.5 1970 1980 61.5 45.5 1990 69.0 56.8 2000 75.2 65.7 2010 82.2 75.5 2015 78.6 84.2 2020 85.4 79.3 2030 88.5 81.6 94.0 2040 86.5 100.3 2050 91.5