A number of questions about the census may be answered at www.2010.census.gov or by calling the Census Bureau's automated phone system at 1-866-872-6868.

Also, starting Friday, hundreds of locations are to be established around Western Pennsylvania where a census staff person will be present to assist in filling out or providing forms. A list of those locations is to be posted on the website later this week.

The following are answers, based on information from census officials, to some of the more likely questions:

Q: In the Internet age, why isn't there an option to just do this online?

A: Census officials said they could not develop a means to guarantee the privacy of information provided electronically, but they expect to resolve that in time for the 2020 census.

Q: I already received one mailing that the census was coming, and after I get the form I understand there will be a separate additional mailing reminding me to send the form in. Why is the government spending so much taxpayer money on this additional mail?

A: The bureau reports that it saves $85 million with every additional percentage point of voluntary mail participation -- the national response rate was 72 percent in 2000 -- since it reduces the number of household visits required by census takers. Officials said studies show the prompts and reminders drive up the mail-in rate sufficiently to outweigh their cost.

Q: My daughter is away at college, but still lives with me some of the year. Do I list her on my form?

A: No. The bureau doesn't want any double counts, and students living in dormitories will be counted in April by university officials as part of the separate "group quarters" operation, which also covers those living in jails, nursing homes and other institutions. If she has her own off-campus apartment elsewhere, she should be part of her own household's census form.

Q: I have a second home and spend part of the year there, in addition to my regular Pittsburgh address. Where should I be counted?

A: "You should be counted where you live and sleep most of the time," according to the census website. People are free to define that for themselves, but it would typically be where they spend more than six months.

Q: How can I trust the information I provide is confidential?

A: By federal law, every census employee is subject to up to five years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine for disclosing information.

Q: What if I don't get a census form this week?

A: You should contact the toll-free phone number above or visit one of the questionnaire assistance centers that open Friday.

Q: How long should it take me to fill out the form?

A: According to the Census Bureau, an average of 10 minutes to cover questions relating to age, gender, race and ethnicity of those in the household, and their relationship to the head of household.

Q: What if I don't return the form?

A: Based on a master address list covering the country, the bureau will send a census taker to your home after April 30 to make multiple attempts to conduct an interview in person.

Q: Is it still possible to get one of those census jobs?

A: Yes, testing and hiring is still being done, particularly for geographic pockets where there have been a shortage of qualified applicants. Call 1-866-861-2010 for more information.

Washington correspondent Daniel Malloy writes the "Pittsburgh On The Potomac" blog exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.