Question

The enrollment at Lee Elementary went from 850 to 1050 in 3 years. Which expression represents the percent of increase in the enrollment at Lee Elementary?

Option 1: (1050−850)/850×100%
Option 2: (1050−850)/1050×100%
Option 3: 1050/850×100%
Option 4: 850/1050×100%

Answer 1

The correct expression to calculate the percent of increase in enrollment at Lee Elementary is Option 1: ((1050 - 850) / 850) × 100%, because it accurately represents the increase relative to the original enrollment figure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks for the expression representing the percent of increase in enrollment at Lee Elementary, which went from 850 to 1050 students in 3 years. To calculate a percentage increase, you subtract the original number from the new number, divide the result by the original number, and then multiply by 100% to convert the decimal to a percentage.

Option 1: ((1050−850)/850)×100% is the correct expression because it represents the increase from the original amount (850) as a percentage. The enrollment increased by 200 students (1050 - 850 = 200), and this change is relative to the original enrollment number (thus divided by 850), and then converted into a percentage by multiplying by 100%.

Comparing the different options, we can see:

• Option 1 correctly uses the original number (850) as the base for calculating the percent increase.
• Option 2 incorrectly uses the new number as the denominator (1050) which would give the percentage of increase with respect to the new number, not the original.
• Option 3 and 4 are ratios multiplied by 100, which would give the proportion of the new number to the old, and old to the new, respectively, but doesn't represent the increase as a percentage.