Question

The zoologist estimated the baby elephant would be 700 lbs at 1 year
old. However, the elephant was a bit smaller and only weighed 660 lbs
at his 1 year check up. What is the zoologist's percent error? Round
your answer to the nearest tenth.

Answer 1

To calculate the percent error, you can use the following formula:

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

In this case:

- Estimated Value = 700 lbs
- Actual Value = 660 lbs

Now, plug in the values:

1. Calculate the absolute error:
\[
\left| 700 - 660 \right| = 40
\]

2. Calculate the percent error:
\[
\text{Percent Error} = \left( \frac{40}{700} \right) \times 100 \approx 5.7142857
\]

3. Round to the nearest tenth:
\[
\text{Percent Error} \approx 5.7\%
\]

So, the zoologist's percent error is approximately **5.7%**.