An Exercise

Real Gross Domestic Product = RGDP

Real Gross Domestic Product per Capita = RGDP/Population

RGDP divided by RGDP/Population = Population


Put POP, FRED's version of population on a graph along with Real Gross Domestic Product divided by Real Gross Domestic Product per Capita. If the two come out the same, POP is a good data series to use for "per capita" calculations.

Graph #1

Yup.


Sample usage:

Graph #2: Potential RGDP per Capita