- Review the provided voter participation table for 1824 and 1828.
- Calculate the change in participation for each state by subtracting the 1824 percentage from the 1828 percentage.
- Compare these differences to identify any state with a negative result, representing a decrease.
- Conclude that Massachusetts (MA) is the only state with a decrease, yielding the answer \(\boxed{MA}\).
Explanation
- Analyzing Voter Participation Data
The voter participation data for eight states in 1824 and 1828 is provided in the table. Our objective is to identify which states had a lower percentage of voter participation in 1828 compared to 1824. This requires us to compare the participation rates for each state individually by subtracting the 1824 percentage from the 1828 percentage and checking if the resulting difference is negative.
- Calculating Changes in Voter Participation
We examine the difference in voter participation between 1824 and 1828 for each state:
- CT: \(27.2\% - 14.9\% = 12.3\%\) (Increase)
- IL: \(52.4\% - 24.3\% = 28.1\%\) (Increase)
- KY: \(70.7\% - 25.4\% = 45.3\%\) (Increase)
- MA: \(25.7\% - 29.0\% = -3.3\%\) (Decrease)
- OH: \(75.9\% - 34.8\% = 41.1\%\) (Increase)
- PA: \(56.5\% - 18.8\% = 37.7\%\) (Increase)
- TN: \(55.0\% - 28.3\% = 26.7\%\) (Increase)
- VA: \(27.7\% - 11.6\% = 16.1\%\) (Increase)
Comparing these values, it is clear that only Massachusetts (MA) showed a negative difference, which indicates a decrease in voter participation.
- Conclusion
Based on the comparison of the participation rates, Massachusetts is the only state in the provided table where the voter participation percentage dropped from 1824 to 1828. The final answer is \(\boxed{MA}\).
Examples
Analyzing data trends like voter participation is a fundamental skill in statistics and political science. For instance, if you were a researcher tracking how campaign outreach efforts changed engagement in elections, you would compare percentages across different election cycles. By identifying states where participation decreased, like we did with Massachusetts here, policy analysts can investigate potential local factors—such as changes in polling location access or shifts in political sentiment—that might have influenced voter turnout. This type of analysis helps in making informed decisions about electoral reform and civic engagement strategies.