Question

Relative and Absolute Change

In 2010 there were 1,845 students at ECC. In 2013 there were 2,430 students.
Answer every answer as a positive number. Round to the nearest 10th.

1. What is the absolute change in the student population at ECC over this period?
This is a:
Student Increase
or
Student Decrease

2. What is the relative change in the student population at ECC over this period?
% This is a:
(a) Percent Increase
or
(b) Percent Decrease
​

Answer 1

1. There was a 585 student increase over this period.

2. There was a 32% increase in the number of students during this period.

Explanation:

1. What is the absolute change in the student population at ECC over this period?

To find the absolute change from 2010 to 2013, we subtract the number of students that there is in 2013 by the number of students that there were is 2010.

If the result is positive, there is a increase. If it is negative, it is a decrease.

In 2010 there were 1,845 students at ECC. In 2013 there were 2,430 students.

So, the absolute change is

2,430 - 1,845 = 585

There was a 585 student increase over this period.

2. What is the relative change in the student population at ECC over this period?

We can say that the number of students in 2010 is decimal 1, and solve a rule of three to find the decimal of the number of students in 2013. We then subtract the value found in the rule of three by one. If it is positive, there was a increase. If it is negative, there was a student decrease.

So

1,845 - 1

2,430 - x

`1,845x = 2,430`

`x = (2,430)/(1,845)`

`x = 1.32`

1.32 - 1 = 0.32

There was a 32% increase in the number of students during this period.