Question

Teresa estimates that the height of a giraffe in a zoo is 18 feet, In fact, it is 16 feet tall. What is Teresa's percent error? Use proportional relationships to solve the problem. Provide your answer as a percentage and round your answer the nearest tenth

Answer 1

To calculate Teresa's percent error, we use the formula:

\[
\text{Percent Error} = \left( \frac{\text{Estimated Value} - \text{Actual Value}}{\text{Actual Value}} \right) \times 100
\]

Given:
- Estimated Value = 18 feet
- Actual Value = 16 feet

Now, substituting the values into the formula:

\[
\text{Percent Error} = \left( \frac{18 - 16}{16} \right) \times 100
\]

Calculating the difference:

\[
\text{Percent Error} = \left( \frac{2}{16} \right) \times 100
\]

Now, simplify the fraction:

\[
\frac{2}{16} = \frac{1}{8}
\]

Calculating the decimal:

\[
\frac{1}{8} = 0.125
\]

Now, multiplying by 100:

\[
0.125 \times 100 = 12.5
\]

Thus, Teresa’s percent error is:

\[
\text{Percent Error} = 12.5\%
\]

Rounding to the nearest tenth is not necessary here as it is already at one decimal place. Therefore, the final answer is:

\[
\boxed{12.5\%}
\]