Question

2 tries left
which statement describes the effects of having a total fertility rate of 2.1?
the value means that two children plus a fraction to compensate for the death of offspring will replace the average male and female in the population.
the value represents the number of children born per person in a population.
at a total fertility rate of 2.1, the population will be shrinking.
the value means that the population is growing slowly, because $2.1 - 2.0 = +0.1$.

Explanation:

The total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.1 is recognized as the replacement-level fertility rate for most human populations. The 2.1 accounts for the average number of children needed to replace their parents, with the 0.1 fraction compensating for offspring who die before reaching reproductive age, ensuring the population remains stable over time. The other options are incorrect: TFR measures children per woman (not per person), a TFR of 2.1 leads to stable (not shrinking) population, and the 0.1 does not directly equate to slow growth as it accounts for mortality, not net growth.

Answer:

A. The value means that two children plus a fraction to compensate for the death of offspring will replace the average male and female in the population.