1. International Trade
This chapter introduces the benefits of trade.
Use the Internet to examine U.S. international trade. Examine the current
U.S. Census Bureau trade statistics at
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/highlights/top/index.html.
Below are the year-to-date trade statistics
for May 2004. Find the most current report and fill in the table below. Note
any changes.
Total Trade (goods) Year-to-Date May 2004
Rank
|
Country
|
Percentage
of Total Trade
|
Current
Percentage
|
1
|
Canada
|
20.0%
|
______________
|
2
|
Mexico
|
11.8%
|
______________
|
3
|
China
|
9.3%
|
______________
|
4
|
Japan
|
8.3%
|
______________
|
Exports (goods) Year-to-Date May 2004
Rank
|
Country
|
Percentage
of Total Trade
|
Current
Percentage
|
1
|
Canada
|
23.1%
|
______________
|
2
|
Mexico
|
13.3%
|
______________
|
3
|
Japan
|
6.7%
|
______________
|
4
|
United
Kingdom
|
4.6%
|
______________
|
Imports (goods) Year-to-Date May 2004
Rank
|
Country
|
Percentage
of Total Trade
|
Current
Percentage
|
1
|
Canada
|
18.1%
|
______________
|
2
|
China
|
12.1%
|
______________
|
3
|
Mexico
|
10.9%
|
______________
|
4
|
Japan
|
9.2%
|
______________
|
Are there any new countries among the top four
trading countries with the United States?
2. College Attendance
The Preview discusses the choice between going
to college or not. Use the Internet to examine the number of people who choose
to attend college. Go to the table of contents and data found in the
Statistical Abstract of
the United Statesat
http://www.census.gov/statab/www/freq.html. Click on the table for Education Attainment. Use the data
in this table to create a graph.
Plot the percentage of each group that had four
years or more of college on the vertical axis. Plot the year on the horizontal
axis.
-
Which group has the highest percentage
with four or more years of college?
-
What could explain the difference between
males and females?
-
Which two races have the greatest differentials
between males and females in educational attainment?
