Methods of Apportionment

Summary

This video explains the process of apportionment, particularly focusing on Hamilton's method, and its application to allocate resources, such as doctors, to different cities. The script walks through key steps, including calculating quotas, rounding, and assigning extra seats or members based on the highest ratios. It also touches on other apportionment methods like D'Hondt and Dean's methods. The video provides a clear, detailed approach to how apportionment is used in various allocation scenarios, highlighting the practical implications of these methods. It concludes with a reminder that these methods are not used in the Philippine Congress due to constitutional seat allocations.

Takeaways

• 📊 Apportionment is the process of dividing indivisible resources, such as congressional seats, teachers, or healthcare workers, among states or regions based on population.
• 🗺️ States in apportionment can refer to regions, cities, towns, or municipalities, while seats refer to the objects being allocated.
• 🧮 Hamilton's method (Largest Remainder Method) involves computing the standard divisor and quota, rounding down, and assigning remaining seats based on the largest decimal remainders.
• ⚖️ Jefferson's method rounds down the standard quota and adjusts the divisor downward until the sum of lower quotas equals the total seats.
• 🔼 Adams' method rounds up the standard quota and adjusts the divisor upward if the sum of upper quotas does not match the total seats.
• 🎯 Webster's method rounds the standard quota to the nearest integer and adjusts the divisor until the total allocation matches the required number of seats.
• 📐 Hill-Huntington's method uses the geometric mean of the lower quota to decide whether to round up or down, ensuring proportional representation.
• 📈 Lowndes (Lounge) method calculates the ratio of the decimal part to the whole number part of the standard quota to assign remaining seats based on the highest ratios.
• ⚠️ The Alabama Paradox can occur in Hamilton's method, where increasing the total number of seats may cause a state to lose a seat.
• 🇵🇭 In the Philippines, these apportionment methods are not applied in Congress as the number of seats is already fixed in the 1987 Constitution.
• 💡 These apportionment methods are also applicable in practical scenarios such as assigning doctors, teachers, or firemen based on population or incident reports.
• 📚 There are additional less commonly used methods, like Dean's method (harmonic mean) and the Honduran method (0.4 rounding cutoff), not used in the Philippine Congress.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on the concept and methods of apportionment, particularly in the context of allocating seats or resources (like doctors) to different regions using various mathematical methods.

How does the Hamilton method of apportionment work?

The Hamilton method works by calculating the standard quota for each region based on a standard divisor. The quota is then rounded down to give the lower quota. If the sum of the lower quotas doesn't add up to the total required, the remaining members are allocated based on the highest decimal parts of the quotas.

What is the role of the standard divisor in apportionment?

The standard divisor is used to divide a relevant factor (like population or number of injuries) across regions to calculate the standard quota for each region. It helps determine how to distribute the seats or resources fairly.

How are decimal parts of the quotas used in the Hamilton method?

The decimal parts of the quotas are used to allocate additional members when the sum of the lower quotas is less than the total required. The regions with the highest decimal parts are given additional members.

What is the Lounge method, and how does it apply in apportionment?

The Lounge method involves dividing the decimal part of the standard quota by its whole number. The region with the highest resulting ratio receives the next available member, helping to resolve situations where the total sum of the lower quotas falls short.

How did the Lounge method affect the allocation of doctors in Metro Manila?

In Metro Manila, the Lounge method was used to determine which cities should receive additional doctors when the sum of the lower quotas (96) was 4 short of the required total (100). The cities with the highest ratios were allocated the extra doctors.

Why is it important to calculate the decimal ratio in the Hamilton method?

The decimal ratio helps prioritize which regions should receive the remaining members or resources when the lower quotas alone are insufficient. This ensures a fair distribution based on the proximity to the required number of seats or resources.

What does the video mean by 'lower quota'?

The lower quota is the result of rounding down the standard quota for each region. It represents the base allocation before any additional members are assigned based on the decimal parts of the quotas.

What other apportionment methods are mentioned in the video?

The video mentions other apportionment methods such as Din's method, which uses the harmonic mean, and Honduras' method, which rounds quotas using a 0.4 cutoff point.

Why are these apportionment methods not used in the Philippine Congress?

These methods are not used in the Philippine Congress because the number of seats in Congress is already specified by the 1987 Philippine Constitution, and thus apportionment is not required.