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En valeur absolue, par habitant, en proportion: French data bases

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Match French totals, per-person quantities and proportions using supplied figures. Practise en valeur absolue, par habitant and en proportion.

In short

En valeur absolue gives the total quantity, par habitant divides it by the population, and en proportion gives a share of a stated whole. Keep the unit and denominator visible: 200 tonnes, 2 tonnes per resident and 20% answer different questions.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A total, individual shares and a divided bowl.
Totals, per-person measures and proportions have different bases. Illustration: Atelier

A larger town can have a larger total but a smaller quantity per resident. A share can also move differently from a total when its denominator changes. The small dataset below lets you calculate each measure without assuming that “more” or “less” has the same meaning in every sentence.

Déchets collectés · même année

Commune A

Population100 habitants

Déchets totaux200 tonnes

Déchets triés40 tonnes

Commune B

Population200 habitants

Déchets totaux300 tonnes

Déchets triés90 tonnes

Match each statement to its numerical basis

Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.

Choose the measure that answers the question

To discuss the total load collected, use tonnes. To compare average quantities relative to population, use tonnes per resident. To describe how much of the collected waste is sorted, use the sorted share of total waste. None of these alone tells you how the quantity is distributed across individual households.

En valeur absolue, B collecte davantage de déchets ; rapportée au nombre d’habitants, la quantité est plus faible.

In absolute terms, B collects more waste; relative to the number of residents, the quantity is lower.

A proportion always has a whole: la part des déchets triés dans le total. Do not replace that whole with the population halfway through a comparison. Par habitant is an average measure and does not mean every resident personally produces exactly that amount. It provides a common population basis for the aggregate figures.

Question 1No account needed
Which commune has the larger total?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

B. B has 300 tonnes compared with A’s 200 tonnes, so B’s absolute total is larger.

Question 2No account needed
Which has the lower per-resident quantity?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

B. A has 200/100 = 2 tonnes per resident; B has 300/200 = 1.5 tonnes per resident.

Question 3No account needed
What is the denominator for B’s sorted-waste share?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

300 tonnes total waste. The share of waste sorted divides sorted waste by total waste, so the denominator is 300 tonnes.

In a commentary, name a change of basis with en revanche, rapporté à or en proportion du total. These phrases let the reader follow why two apparently conflicting statements can both be correct.

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