Question

A chain store plans to reduce its workforce by 3%. If there are currently 18,600 employees and 121 of them retire

voluntarily, how many additional employees must be laid off?

Answer 1

The problem states that there are 18,600 employees, and that 121 leave voluntarily. There are 18,479 employees

The problem therefore is asking us the number of employees they have if they fire 3% of them.

To find three percent of 18,479, multiply by 0.97 to remove 3 percent.

17924.64.

Since you can't have 0.64 of an employee, round up.

17925

Subtract 17925 from 18497.

572

572 employees must be laid off