Answer
The U.S. population in 1880 was 49,374,462
Work Step by Step
We can use the population of Alabama and the standard quota to find the standard divisor.
$standard~quota = \frac{population}{standard~divisor}$
$standard~divisor = \frac{population}{standard~quota}$
$standard~divisor = \frac{1,262,505}{7.671}$
$standard~divisor = 164,581.54$
We can use the standard divisor and the number of congressional seats to find the U.S. population in 1880.
$standard~divisor = \frac{U.S.~population}{seats}$
$U.S.~population = (standard~divisor)~(seats)$
$U.S.~population = (164,581.54)~(300)$
$U.S.~population = 49,374,462$
The U.S. population in 1880 was 49,374,462
