Question

Suppose the population of a certain city is 3637 thousand. It is expected to decrease to 2860 thousand in 50 years. Find the percent decrease.

a. 21%
b. 26%
c. 30%
d. 35%

Answer 1

The percent decrease in the city's population is calculated by finding the absolute decrease, then calculating the proportional decrease, and converting that to a percentage. The computed percent decrease is approximately 21.35%, which rounds to a 21% decrease.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the percent decrease in the city's population, we need to calculate the difference between the initial and the final population numbers, and then divide that difference by the initial value to find the proportional decrease. Finally, we convert that proportion to a percentage by multiplying by 100.

1. Calculate the absolute decrease: 3637 thousand - 2860 thousand = 777 thousand.
2. Calculate the proportional decrease: 777 thousand / 3637 thousand = 0.2135 (rounded to 4 decimal places).
3. Convert the proportion to a percentage: 0.2135 * 100 = 21.35%.

The percent decrease in the population is approximately 21.35%, which, when rounded to the nearest whole number, corresponds to a 21% decrease.