Figure 6 shows the migration rate M(t) of Ireland in the period 19881998. This is the rate

Question:

Figure 6 shows the migration rate M(t) of Ireland in the period 1988–1998. This is the rate at which people (in thousands per year) moved into or out of the country.
(a) Is the following integral positive or negative? What does this quantity represent?

1998 1988 M(t) dt

(b) Did migration in the period 1988–1998 result in a net influx of people into Ireland or a net outflow of people from Ireland?
(c) During which 2 years could the Irish prime minister announce, “We’ve hit an inflection point. We are still losing population, but the trend is now improving.”

1994 + + 1988 1990 1992 1996 1998 2000 30 20 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40 M(t) -50