Question

The drama teacher monitored the number of people who attended the school's spring musical each year.
Attendance at the high school musical
Year Attendance
2012 820
2013 819
2014 818
2015 825
2016 818
According to the table, what was the rate of change between 2012 and 2016?

Answer 1

To calculate the rate of change in attendance between the years 2012 and 2016, we can use the formula:

\[
\text{Rate of Change} = \frac{\text{Change in Attendance}}{\text{Change in Time}}
\]

First, we need to find the change in attendance between 2012 and 2016:

- Attendance in 2012: 820
- Attendance in 2016: 818

The change in attendance is:

\[
818 - 820 = -2
\]

Next, we find the change in time:

\[
2016 - 2012 = 4 \text{ years}
\]

Now, we can calculate the rate of change:

\[
\text{Rate of Change} = \frac{-2}{4} = -0.5
\]

Thus, the rate of change in attendance between 2012 and 2016 is \(-0.5\) attendees per year.