A county planner prepares the following table showing population trends in three local

Question

towns. The first column gives the name of the town. The second column gives the
population as of the last census. The third column gives the estimated increase or
decrease in population since that census, expressed as a percentage of the previous
population.
Town Census Population Percentage Change
Pleasantville x –2%
Amity Center y +5%
Harmony Corners z +7%

Choose one of these towns. Use the second and third columns to write two
expressions showing the current estimated population of the town in terms of
x, y, or z.

Answer 1

Let's choose Pleasantville.

The second column states that the population of Pleasantville at the last census was x.
The third column states that the estimated change in population since the last census is -2% of the previous population.

To calculate the current estimated population of Pleasantville, we need to subtract 2% of x from x.

Therefore, two expressions showing the current estimated population of Pleasantville in terms of x are:
1. x - (2/100)x
2. x(1 - 0.02)