What was the percent increase in the population in S.America from 1900 to 2000?

1900 = 38,000,000
1950 = 111,000,000
2000 = 515,000,000

Can someone please help guide me?? I am not great at percentages.. would I add the three and then divide by 3?

6 answers

According to your problem, you don't need to do anything with the numbers for 1950.

First:

515,000,000 - 38,000,000 = 477,000,000

Next:

38,000,000 / 477,000,000 = ?

Multiply your answer by 100 (or move the decimal point two places to the right) to find the percent increase.
Thank you Ms. Sue

the answer I got from your help was: 85%
85% does not look right.

Percentage increases are calculated as
(new value-old value) / old value.

If the population of Tokyo went from 10.18 millions to 12.79 millions in 2007, the percentage increase would be:
(12.79-10.18)/10.18
=0.2564
=25.64%

As suggested by Ms Sue, do not take into account of the 1950 numbers.
So percentage increase is from 38 millions in 1900 to 515 millions in 2000, or
(515-38)/38
=12.55
=1255%

You can check the data provided at the following link:
http://www.hist.umn.edu/~rmccaa/lademotr/sld003.htm
hmmm confused now
I'm sorry, but I misstated the division problem.

As MathMate pointed out, it should be:

477,000,000 / 38,000,000 = 12.55 = 1255%
4,714,900 to 708,7000