2.41 European fertility The European fertility rates (mean number of children per adult woman) from Exercise 2.18 are shown again in the table.

a. Find the median of the fertility rates. Interpret.

b. Find the mean of the fertility rates. Interpret.

c. For each woman, the number of children is a whole number, such as 2 or 3. Explain why it makes sense to measure a mean number of children per adult woman

(which is not a whole number) to compare fertility levels, such as the fertility levels of 1.5 in Canada and 2.4 in Mexico.

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Country Fertility Country Fertility Austria 1.4 Netherlands 1.7 Belgium 1.7 Norway 1.8 Denmark 1.8 Spain 1.3 Finland 1.7 Sweden 1.6 France 1.9 Switzerland 1.4 Germany 1.3 United Kingdom 1.7 Greece 1.3 United States 2.0 Ireland 1.9 Canada 1.5 Italy 1.3 Mexico 2.4