Correct Answer: (a) Population increases in geometric ratio, food supply increases in an arithmetic ratio
Solution:At the end of the 18th century, Thomas Malthus concluded that if not stopped, population growth would outpace the increase in food production, leading to increased poverty and famine. T R Malthus in his book "An Essay on the Principle of Population" which was published in 1798 AD, stated that population grows in geometrical proportion (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64) while food Supply increases in the Arithmetical ratio (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Thomas Malthus is seen as the intellectual father of overpopulation ideas.