mortality table

statistics

Also known as: life table

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July 1, 2026

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A mortality table, also known as a life table, is an actuarial tool based on mortality statistics collected over several years. It summarizes the distribution of longevity observed within a population. This statistical device is fundamental for calculating life expectancy, which is an estimate of the average number of additional years a person of a given age can expect to live.1234

Mortality tables are constructed using data on age-specific death rates, which are derived from census and vital statistics. These tables are crucial for industries like life assurance, enabling the calculation of premiums by pooling resources to provide financial benefits to heirs. A "select mortality table" is based on medically selected lives, while an "aggregate mortality table" includes both selected lives and those from whom the effect of selection has been removed.4356

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population ecology
Life tables and the rate of population growth
Differences in life history strategies, which include an organism’s allocation of its time and resources to reproduction and care of offspring, greatly affect population dynamics. As stated above, populations in which individuals reproduce at an early age…
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Differences in life history strategies, which include an organism’s allocation of its time and resources to reproduction and care of offspring, greatly affect population dynamics. As stated above, populations in which individuals reproduce at an early age…
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John Graunt
…most important innovation was the life table, which presented mortality in terms of survivorship. Using only two rates of survivorship (to ages 6 and 76), derived from actual observations, he predicted the percentage of persons that will live to each successive age and their life expectancy year by year. Petty…
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…most important innovation was the life table, which presented mortality in terms of survivorship. Using only two rates of survivorship (to ages 6 and 76), derived from actual observations, he predicted the percentage of persons that will live to each successive age and their life expectancy year by year. Petty…
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life expectancy
…is calculated by constructing a life table. A life table incorporates data on age-specific death rates for the population in question, which requires enumeration data for the number of people, and the number of deaths at each age for that population. Those numbers typically are derived from national census and…
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…is calculated by constructing a life table. A life table incorporates data on age-specific death rates for the population in question, which requires enumeration data for the number of people, and the number of deaths at each age for that population. Those numbers typically are derived from national census and…
Read More

population
Mortality
…is the life table, or mortality table, which summarizes the distribution of longevity—observed over a period of years—among members of a population. This statistical device allows the calculation of premiums—the prices to be charged the members of a group of living subscribers with specified characteristics, who by pooling their resources…
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…is the life table, or mortality table, which summarizes the distribution of longevity—observed over a period of years—among members of a population. This statistical device allows the calculation of premiums—the prices to be charged the members of a group of living subscribers with specified characteristics, who by pooling their resources…
Read More