What determines the number of House of Representatives members each state receives?

The number of members in the House of Representatives that each state receives is determined by the state's population. This process is known as apportionment, and it is based on the results of the United States Census, which takes place every ten years. The primary purpose of apportionment is to ensure that representation in the House reflects the population distribution across the country. Therefore, states with larger populations have more representatives, while those with smaller populations have fewer.

The other choices reference factors that do not directly influence the number of representatives. Geographic size does not correlate with population size—some large states may have a small population, while smaller states might have a dense urban population. A flat rate would imply equal representation regardless of population, which contradicts the principle of a representative democracy, where constituents should be represented in proportion to their number. Historical precedent does play a role in shaping representation; however, it is the actual population data that ultimately dictates the number of House members.