Final answer:
The value of x was changed by subtracting the final value as a percentage of the original from 100%, resulting in a decrease of 97%.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate by what percent x was changed if we got 0.03x, we consider the original value of x to be 100%. Since we are left with 0.03x, this is 3% of the original value of x. The change in percentage can be calculated by subtracting this final percentage from the original 100%, which gives us a change of 97%.
For a better understanding, here is the calculation step by step:
- Determine the final value as a percentage of the original value: 0.03x / x * 100 = 3%.
- Calculate the percentage decrease: 100% - 3% = 97%.
- Therefore, x has been decreased by 97% to arrive at 0.03x.
This kind of calculation is commonly used in both algebraic contexts and real-life situations like calculating discounts or rates of decrease.