Chapter 10. Calculation of Stature.

Chapter 10. Calculation of Stature.

TRUE/FALSE. Write "T" if the statement is true and "F" if it is false

1. Stature is composed of five skeletal structures: skull, vertebral column, pelvis, lower limbs and ankles.
Answer: True      p. 213

2. The living stature of a person can be estimated by measuring various skeletal structures and entering them into various formulas.
Answer: True      p. 214

3. Full skeleton methods for calculating stature are very useful in forensic anthropology.
Answer: False      p. 215

4. Full skeleton methods involve summing the measurements of skull, vertebral column, pelvis, lower limbs and ankles.
Answer: True      p. 215 – 216

5. Full skeleton methods involve summing the measurements of skull, vertebral column, pelvis, lower limbs and ankles.
Answer: True      p. 215 – 216

6. Regression formulas for estimating stature are not very useful in forensic anthropology.
Answer: False      p. 217

7. Regression formulas for estimating stature are not divided by sex and ancestral group.
Answer: False      p. 218 – 219

8. Regression formulas for estimating stature use the total lengths of the long limb bones.
Answer: True      p. 218

9. Regression formulas for estimating stature are highly accurate and not prone to error.
Answer: False      p. 219 – 221

10. There are regression formulas for calculating stature from bones and osteological structures other than long limb bones.
Answer: True      p. 221 – 223

11. Fleshed body segments are of little use in calculating stature.
Answer: False      p. 223

12. When long limb bones are fragmented, there are no methods for calculating stature.
Answer: False      p. 223 – 228

13. There are several adjustments to stature that should be made after it has been calculated by regression formulas or other methods.
Answer: True      p. 228 – 229

14. The age of an individual does not need to be taken into account when reporting stature calculated by regression formulas or other methods.
Answer: False      p. 228

15. Males often over report their statures (e.g., on driver’s licenses) while females under report their height.
Answer: False      p. 229


MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

16. Which of the following can be used to reconstruct living stature?
A   The full skeleton
B   Long limb bones
C   Partial limb bones
D   All of the above
Answer: D      p. 213

17. Which of the following problems in stature reconstruction involves the difference between long limb bones and stature that occur through time?
A   Method of measuring body for stature
B   Secular changes
C   Self reporting of stature
D   Inter-observer error
Answer: B      p. 214 – 215

18. Which of the following skeletal elements are measured when reconstructing living stature from the full skeleton?
A   Skull
B   Vertebrae
C   Leg bones
D   All of the above
Answer: D      p. 215 – 216

19. If a body is found that is believed to be that of an Asian female, which formulas should be used to reconstruct living stature?
A   White females
B   Black females
C   Asian males
D   Hispanic males
Answer: C      p. 218

20. Which of the following skeletal elements cannot be used in long limb bone regression formulas to reconstruct living stature?
A   Bicondylar length of femur
B   Total length of Tibia
C   Total length of Ulna
D   Total length of humerus
Answer: A      p. 218

21. A 25cm long radius is found with a skull that is identified as a black female. Without making any adjustments, what was her approximate stature in life?
A   161.5
B   165.1
C   167.3
D   169.7
Answer: D      p. 219

22. A full set of limb bones is found with a skull that indicates they are from a white female.  Which of the following formulae would yield the best estimate of stature?
A   St = 86.62 + 2.523*(Humerus) ± 5.32
B   St = 83.29 + 3.530*(Radius) ± 4.81
C   St = 82.82 + 3.346*(Ulna) ± 4.51
D   St = 76.51 + 2.487*(Fibula) ± 4.16
Answer: D      p. 219

23. Which of the following skeletal elements can be measured to reconstruct living stature?
A   Metacarpals
B   Metatarsals
C   Vertebral column
D   All of the above
Answer: D      p. 221 – 222

24. Which of the following fleshed elements can be measured to reconstruct living stature?
A   Upper arm length
B   Upper leg length
C   Foot length
D   All of the above
Answer: D      p. 224

25. Which of the following formulae would yield the best estimate of stature from a “fleshed” upper arm length (UPARMLTH)?
A   St = 61.27 + 2.88*(UPARMLTH) ± 6.04
B   St = 83.25 + 2.38*(UPARMLTH) ± 5.56
C   St = 88.80 + 2.05*(UPARMLTH) ± 5.20
D   St = 65.68 + 2.81*(UPARMLTH) ± 5.84
Answer: C      p. 225

26. Which of the bones can be used to reconstruct stature, even if in a fragmentary condition?
A   Femur
B   Tibia
C   Humerus
D   All of the above
Answer: D      p. 223 – 228

27. Which of the bones can be used to reconstruct stature, even if in a fragmentary condition?
A   Femur
B   Ulna
C   Fibula
D   All of the above
Answer: A      p. 223 – 228

28. Which of the following bones can be used to reconstruct stature, even if only the head remains?
A   Femur
B   Tibia
C   Humerus
D   All of the above
Answer: C      p. 223 – 228

29. Which of the following should be used to adjust stature calculated from long limb bones?
A   Age of individual
B   Bone shrinkage
C   Reported versus measured stature
D   All of the above
Answer: D      p. 228 – 229

30. If it is determined that a black female was 75 years old when she died, by how much would you decrease her stature calculated from long limb bones?
A   0.3 cm
B   0.7 cm
C   1.3 cm
D   3.4 cm
Answer: D      p. 228