In the rank-size rule, how does the population of the second-largest city compare to the largest?

In the rank-size rule, how does the population of the second-largest city compare to the largest?

• A. 1/3 of the largest
• B. 1/4 of the largest
• C. 1/5 of the largest
• D. 1/2 of the largest

Answer: (D)

In the rank-size rule, city populations follow an inverse relationship with their rank: the population of a city of rank r is roughly the largest city's population divided by r. So for the second-largest city, you divide by 2, giving about half of the largest city's population. This reflects the typical pattern where the largest city is substantially bigger, and the next one is roughly half its size. The other fractions would correspond to different ranks (third would be one third, etc.), not the second-largest.

In the rank-size rule, city populations follow an inverse relationship with their rank: the population of a city of rank r is roughly the largest city's population divided by r. So for the second-largest city, you divide by 2, giving about half of the largest city's population. This reflects the typical pattern where the largest city is substantially bigger, and the next one is roughly half its size. The other fractions would correspond to different ranks (third would be one third, etc.), not the second-largest.