Per Capita as a hate When a ratio is used to compare two different kinds of measure . it is called a rate . The homicide* deaths - per - capita ( expressed in the table below ) is a homicide death rate . The Australian homicide* death rate is calculated by taking the ratio of homicide deaths to the population . Calculate the homicide deaths per capita for the rest of the countries listed , and then write the per capita values* in Scientific Notation in the table* Deaths per" 2012 2012 Deaths per capita in Deaths Location Homicide Population capita as a Scientific per Deaths ( in millions ) decimal Notation 100,000 ( rate ) ( rate ) ( rate ) Australia 254 23.5 0.0000108 1. 08 x 10 -3) 1. 08 Canada 543 35.5 Colombia 14, 570 47. 8 Mexico 26, 037 125. 4 South Africa 15 , 259 54 Japan 442 127 United States 14, 827 318.5