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Abstract
If the desired size of a family is specified in terms of sex composition, the sex preferences may affect eventual family size. Assuming that a couple wish to have a specified minimum number of boys and of girls, and continue to have children until these minimum numbers are reached (with perhaps an upper limit), formulae and numerical calculations are presented for the average size of family. In most cases, there is more than an even chance that the family size will be larger than the sum of the minimum desired number of boys and girls. With a constant and equal probability that a child will be a male, the preferences and postulated behaviour have no effect on the sex ratio.
