The Popular Vote, Electoral College and Electoral Power
Counting electors per state, comparing who wins the raw ballot count against who wins the electoral tally, and measuring how much a single vote weighs.
Math in Society, The Popular Vote, Electoral College and Electoral Power
22 exercises
Exercise 1
How is the U.S. President selected?
Exercise 2
How many electors are there in the U.S. Electoral College?
Exercise 3
How many U.S. Senators represent each state?
Exercise 4
What is the length of a term of a U.S. Senator?
Exercise 5
How many Representatives serve in the U.S. House of Representatives?
Exercise 6
What is the length of a term of a U.S. Representative?
Exercise 7
In each fictional country in problems 7-10, use the rules of the U.S. government to complete the table and determine the following:
The total number of electors in the state.
The number of electoral votes needed for a majority and win a presidential election.
In this country there is one representative for every 50,000 residents.
Exercise 8
In each fictional country in problems 7-10, use the rules of the U.S. government to complete the table and determine the following:
The total number of electors in the state.
The number of electoral votes needed for a majority and win a presidential election.
In this country there is one representative for every 75,000 residents.
Exercise 9
In each fictional country in problems 7-10, use the rules of the U.S. government to complete the table and determine the following:
The total number of electors in the state.
The number of electoral votes needed for a majority and win a presidential election.
In this country there is one representative for every 40,000 residents.
Exercise 10
In each fictional country in problems 7-10, use the rules of the U.S. government to complete the table and determine the following:
The total number of electors in the state.
The number of electoral votes needed for a majority and win a presidential election.
In this country there is one representative for every 60,000 residents.
Exercise 11
In each fictional country in problems 11-14, use the rules of the U.S. government (assume that all of a state's electoral votes go to the candidate who received the majority of the votes in that state) to complete the table and determine the following:
The winner of the popular vote in the country and the percentage of votes they won.
The winner of the electoral college who becomes the president and…
Exercise 12
In each fictional country in problems 11-14, use the rules of the U.S. government (assume that all of a state's electoral votes go to the candidate who received the majority of the votes in that state) to complete the table and determine the following:
The winner of the popular vote in the country and the percentage of votes they won.
The winner of the electoral college who becomes the president and…
Exercise 13
In each fictional country in problems 11-14, use the rules of the U.S. government (assume that all of a state's electoral votes go to the candidate who received the majority of the votes in that state) to complete the table and determine the following:
The winner of the popular vote in the country and the percentage of votes they won.
The winner of the electoral college who becomes the president and…
Exercise 14
In each fictional country in problems 11-14, use the rules of the U.S. government (assume that all of a state's electoral votes go to the candidate who received the majority of the votes in that state) to complete the table and determine the following:
The winner of the popular vote in the country and the percentage of votes they won.
The winner of the electoral college who becomes the president and…
Exercise 15
In each fictional country in problems 15-18, use the rules of the U.S. government to complete the table and determine the following:
The state that has the most electoral power
The state that has the least electoral power
In this country from problem 7, there is one representative for every 50,000 residents.
Exercise 16
In each fictional country in problems 15-18, use the rules of the U.S. government to complete the table and determine the following:
The state that has the most electoral power
The state that has the least electoral power
In this country from problem 8, there is one representative for every 75,000 residents.
Exercise 17
In each fictional country in problems 15-18, use the rules of the U.S. government to complete the table and determine the following:
The state that has the most electoral power
The state that has the least electoral power
In this country from problem 9, there is one representative for every 40,000 residents.
Exercise 18
In each fictional country in problems 15-18, use the rules of the U.S. government to complete the table and determine the following:
The state that has the most electoral power
The state that has the least electoral power
In this country from problem 10, there is one representative for every 60,000 residents.
Exercise 19
For the country in problem 7, determine all the possible combinations of states that would win the electoral college. What is the minimum number of votes needed to win the electoral college?
Exercise 20
For the country in problem 8, determine all the possible combinations of states that would win the electoral college. What is the minimum number of votes needed to win the electoral college?
Exercise 21
For the country in problem 9, determine all the possible combinations of states that would win the electoral college. What is the minimum number of votes needed to win the electoral college?
Exercise 22
For the country in problem 10, determine all the possible combinations of states that would win the electoral college. What is the minimum number of votes needed to win the electoral college?
Adapted from Math in Society © 2018–2024 Portland Community College Math Instructors. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Math in Society. Imported at revision 68ee43c.