The curve is a graph showing the proportion of overall income or wealth assumed by the bottom "x"% of the people, although this is not rigorously true for a finite population (see below). It is often used to represent income distribution, where it shows for the bottom "x"% of households, what percentage ("y"%) of the total income they have. The percentage of households is plotted on the "x"-axis, the percentage of income on the "y"-axis. It can also be used to show distribution of assets. In such use, many economists consider it to be a measure of social inequality.