4 Social Studies Jed's neighborhood is divided into 2 equal-sized voting areas, the West Side and the East Side. A new voting plan splits the neighborhood into 6 equalsized areas. Some voters think that the East Side is now smaller in size. Are they right to be concerned? Explain. Make a drawing to help explain your answer.

No, the voters are **not** right to be concerned that the East Side is now smaller in size. Here's why: ### **Explanation:** Originally, the neighborhood was divided into two equal-sized voting areas: - **West Side** - **East Side** Each side was **50%** of the total neighborhood. With the new plan, the neighborhood is split into **6 equal-sized areas**. To maintain fairness and equal representation: - **Each original side (West and East) is divided into 3 smaller areas**. This means: - The **West Side** still makes up **50%** of the neighborhood (divided into 3 areas). - The **East Side** also still makes up **50%** of the neighborhood (divided into 3 areas). So, while there are more voting areas, the **overall size** of the East Side remains the **same**. Only the smaller districts within each side are now divided further. ### **Drawing to Illustrate:** Imagine the neighborhood as a rectangle. 1. **Original Plan (2 Areas):** ``` ------------------------- | West | | Side 1 | ------------------------- | East | | Side 2 | ------------------------- ``` - **Total Areas:** 2 - **West Side:** 50% - **East Side:** 50% 2. **New Plan (6 Areas):** ``` ------------------------- | West 1 | West 2 | West 3 | ------------------------- | East 1 | East 2 | East 3 | ------------------------- ``` - **Total Areas:** 6 - **West Side Total:** West 1 + West 2 + West 3 = 50% - **East Side Total:** East 1 + East 2 + East 3 = 50% ### **Conclusion:** The **East Side remains the same size overall**, just divided into smaller districts for voting purposes. Therefore, there is no reduction in the East Side's total size, and the voters do not need to be concerned about it becoming smaller.