Answer:
Approximately 19,233.
Explanation:
According to the problem statement, the population in 2001 was 12% more than the population in 2000. Therefore, the population in 2001 was 1.12P.
In 2002, the population was 10% more than the population in 2001. Therefore, the population in 2002 was 1.1(1.12P) = 1.232P.
We know that the population in 2002 was 23,690. Therefore, we can write the following equation:
1.232P = 23,690
Solving for P, we get:
P = 23,690 / 1.232 ≈ 19,233
Therefore, the population in 2000 was approximately 19,233.