You and a friend are trying to decide which state would have the highest population density. Your friend thinks that California would have a higher density than New Jersey because California has a larger population. 1. Is your friend's logic correct or flawed? Why or why not. 2. Correctly define population density. For full credit, you must answer all parts of the question in complete sentences.

Your friend's logic is flawed. Although California has a larger population, population density is determined by dividing the total population by the land area of the state. A state can have a large population but still have a low density if it has a vast land area. In fact, New Jersey, which is smaller in land area, typically has a higher population density than California due to its more concentrated population. Population density is defined as the number of people living per unit of area, usually expressed as residents per square mile or square kilometer. It provides a measure of how crowded or spaced out a population is within a specific geographic area. Understanding population density can help in analyzing urban planning, resource distribution, and environmental impacts.