age-grade distribution

A term generally used in sociology and anthropology that refers to the number of people belonging to a sector of society based on a certain age group or class. Individuals pass through a series of such categories throughout their lives. Age-grade distribution is widely used by corporations as a diagnostic tool in the determination of demographics for the distribution and advertising of a company's product. For example, a cable television company would examine the age-grade distribution of a certain demographic to determine the best time slot for a particular program designed to mainly appeal to younger people.