The Torah Math Project
Census of Shevatim
In the second year in the wilderness Moshe was commanded to take a census of the Jewish people. In the last year of the wilderness Moshe was commanded take another census. Below are the results of the first and second censuses for each tribe. (Bamidbar 1:20–43, 5-51)
| First Census | Second Census | |
| Reuven | 46,500 | 43,730 |
| Shimon | 59,300 | 22,200 |
| Gad | 45,650 | 40,500 |
| Yehudah | 74,600 | 76,500 |
| Yissachar | 54,400 | 64,300 |
| Zevulun | 57,400 | 60,500 |
| Ephraim | 40,500 | 32,500 |
| Menasheh | 32,200 | 52,700 |
| Binyamin | 35,400 | 45,600 |
| Dan | 62,700 | 64,400 |
| Asher | 41,500 | 53,400 |
| Naftoli | 53,400 | 45,400 |
Questions:
Which tribe had the highest rate of change? What was the rate change?
Which tribe had the lowest rate of change? What was the rate of change?
What was the rate of change for Binyamin?
Answer:
| First Census | Second Census | Difference | Rate of Change | |
| Reuven | 46,500 | 43,730 | 2,770 | 6% |
| Shimon | 59,300 | 22,200 | 37,100 | 63% |
| Gad | 45,650 | 40,500 | 5,150 | 11% |
| Yehudah | 74,600 | 76,500 | -1,900 | -3% |
| Yissachar | 54,400 | 64,300 | -9,900 | -18% |
| Zevulun | 57,400 | 60,500 | -3,100 | -5% |
| Ephraim | 40,500 | 32,500 | 8,000 | 20% |
| Menasheh | 32,200 | 52,700 | -20,500 | -64% |
| Binyamin | 35,400 | 45,600 | -10,200 | -29% |
| Dan | 62,700 | 64,400 | -1,700 | -3% |
| Asher | 41,500 | 53,400 | -11,900 | -29% |
| Naftoli | 53,400 | 45,400 | 8,000 | 15% |
Question: Which tribe had the highest rate of change? What was the rate change?
Answer:
| Menasheh | 32,200 | 52,700 | -20,500 | -64% |
Question: Which tribe had the lowest rate of change?
What was the rate of change?
It was a tie between?
Answer:
| Yehudah | 74,600 | 76,500 | -1,900 | -3% |
| Dan | 62,700 | 64,400 | -1,700 | -3% |
Question: What was the rate of change for Binyamin?
Answer:
| Binyamin | 35,400 | 45,600 | -10,200 | -29% |
