Question

Teresa estimated the height of a giraffe in a zoo to be 18 feet but the actual height was 16 feet tall. What was the percent error

Answer 1

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

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

In this case:
- Estimated Value = 18 feet
- Actual Value = 16 feet

First, calculate the absolute error:

\[
|\text{Estimated Value} - \text{Actual Value}| = |18 - 16| = 2
\]

Next, substitute the values into the percent error formula:

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

\[
\text{Percent Error} = 0.125 \times 100 = 12.5
\]

Thus, the percent error is **12.5%**.