Comparing Land Use
| Land | Size of Land (million acres) |
| -------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| crop | 408 |
| forest | 671 |
| grass/range | 614 |
| parks/wildlife/others | 313 |
| urban | 61 |
Which statement is true based on the data in the table?
A. The United States uses more land to grow crops than to maintain forests.
B. The United States uses more land for parks and wildlife than for forests.
C. The United States uses more land for parks and forests than for urban areas.
D. The United States uses more land for urban areas than for grasslands and ranges.
Answer (1)
Compare crop land (408) and forest land (671): 408 ≯ 671 (False).
Compare parks/wildlife land (313) and forest land (671): 313 ≯ 671 (False).
Compare parks/wildlife land (313) + forest land (671) and urban land (61): 313 + 671 = 984 , 61"> 984 > 61 (True).
Compare urban land (61) and grass/range land (614): 61 ≯ 614 (False).
The true statement is: The United States uses more land for parks and forests than for urban areas. T r u e
Explanation
Analyzing the Problem We are given a table showing land use in the United States, measured in millions of acres. Our task is to determine which of the provided statements accurately reflects the data in the table. We will evaluate each statement by comparing the given values.
Evaluating Each Statement Let's analyze each statement:
"The United States uses more land to grow crops than to maintain forests." This statement compares crop land (408 million acres) and forest land (671 million acres). Since 408 is not greater than 671, this statement is false.
"The United States uses more land for parks and wildlife than for forests." This statement compares parks/wildlife land (313 million acres) and forest land (671 million acres). Since 313 is not greater than 671, this statement is false.
"The United States uses more land for parks and forests than for urban areas." This statement compares the sum of parks/wildlife land (313 million acres) and forest land (671 million acres) to urban land (61 million acres). The sum of parks/wildlife and forest land is 313 + 671 = 984 million acres. Since 984 is greater than 61, this statement is true.
"The United States uses more land for urban areas than for grasslands and ranges." This statement compares urban land (61 million acres) and grass/range land (614 million acres). Since 61 is not greater than 614, this statement is false.
Conclusion Based on our analysis, the only true statement is: "The United States uses more land for parks and forests than for urban areas."
Examples
Understanding land use is crucial for urban planning, environmental conservation, and agricultural policy. For instance, knowing the proportion of land dedicated to forests versus urban areas helps policymakers make informed decisions about resource allocation and sustainable development. If a city plans to expand, understanding the current land distribution can guide decisions on where and how to build new infrastructure while minimizing environmental impact. The comparison of different land usages can also be applied to analyze the ecological footprint of a region and promote more sustainable practices.
