Final answer:
To find the approximate population p (in millions) in 1950, we can set up an equation using the given information. The population in 1950 can be found by solving the equation 15.7 = 3x + 1. The approximate population in 1950 was 4.9 million people.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the approximate population p (in millions) in 1950, we can set up an equation using the given information. Let's denote the population in 1950 as x.
We know that in 2003, the population was 15.7 million people, which is 1 million more than 3 times the population in 1950. So we can write the equation as:
15.7 = 3x + 1
Now, we can solve this equation to find the value of x, which represents the population in 1950.
Subtracting 1 from both sides of the equation, we get:
14.7 = 3x
Dividing both sides by 3, we get:
x ≈ 4.9
Therefore, the approximate population in 1950 was 4.9 million people