Final answer:
The population of Bristol, PA decreased by approximately 6 percent over the past 30 years, calculated by determining the difference in past and current population sizes and then finding the percentage decrease relative to the original population.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the percent decrease in the population of Bristol, PA, from 30 years ago to now, we first determine the difference in population sizes and then find what percent the difference is of the original population 30 years ago.
The difference in population sizes is 56,500 (past population) - 53,110 (current population) = 3,390 (difference in population).
To find the percent decrease, we divide the difference by the original population and then multiply by 100 to convert it to a percentage:
Percent decrease = (Difference ÷ Original Population) × 100
Percent decrease = (3,390 ÷ 56,500) × 100 ≈ 6.00%
Therefore, the population of Bristol, PA decreased by approximately 6 percent over the past 30 years.