In this issue we look at August unemployment statistics. www.media4math.com

1. Math in the News
The Bureau of Labor Statistics
provides a wealth of information
on employment, unemployment,
and other key statistics about the
economy. In August, the
unemployment rate went down
to 8.1% from 8.3% the previous
month.
In this issue we look at the size
of the workforce, which is one of
the variables that is often Unemployment
misunderstood.

2. Math in the News
According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (www.bls.gov): “The labor force
is made up of the employed and the
unemployed. The remainder— those who
have no job and are not looking for one —
are counted as ‘not in the labor force. ’”
http://www.bls.gov/cps/
cps_htgm.htm#nilf

3. Math in the News
July Aug. Aug. Apr. May June July Aug.
Not in
labor
force 85,528 86,828 88,311 86,198 88,419 87,958 87,992 88,340
The statistics for those “not in the labor
force” are shown in this table. The
numbers are in the thousands.
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/emps
it.t01.htm

4. Math in the News
Here is a graph of the data. Notice how
the overall trend is an increase in the
number not in the labor force.

5. Math in the News
What do you think the impact is of an
increasing number of people not in the labor
force? How will it affect the unemployment
rate?