The rank-size rule describes city size distributions using a pattern in which the nth largest city is roughly 1/n of the largest city. Who is the rule named after?

The rank-size rule describes city size distributions using a pattern in which the nth largest city is roughly 1/n of the largest city. Who is the rule named after?

• A. Zipf, G
• B. Ravenstein, E
• C. Malthus, T
• D. Weber, M

Answer: (A)

This question tests Zipf’s law for city sizes. The rank-size rule says the population of the nth largest city is roughly 1/n of the largest city. It’s named after George Zipf, who formalized this relationship and showed how city sizes tend to follow a predictable inverse pattern. The other figures listed contributed to different ideas—Ravenstein with migration theories, Malthus with population-resource limits, and Weber with industrial location theory—so they aren’t associated with this specific urban-size distribution. In practice, the rule describes an idealized pattern that real city systems approximate, though actual data can show deviations due to various factors.

This question tests Zipf’s law for city sizes. The rank-size rule says the population of the nth largest city is roughly 1/n of the largest city. It’s named after George Zipf, who formalized this relationship and showed how city sizes tend to follow a predictable inverse pattern. The other figures listed contributed to different ideas—Ravenstein with migration theories, Malthus with population-resource limits, and Weber with industrial location theory—so they aren’t associated with this specific urban-size distribution. In practice, the rule describes an idealized pattern that real city systems approximate, though actual data can show deviations due to various factors.