Yesterday was the first day of the Dodge County Fair. The fair's organizers estimated 1,200 people would attend. Unfortunately, it rained, so only 960 people attended. What is the percent error for the organizers' estimate?

Question

If necessary, round your answer to the nearest tenth of a percent

Answer 1

First, we need to calculate the absolute error by finding the difference between the estimated attendance and the actual attendance.

Absolute error = | Actual attendance - Estimated attendance |
Absolute error = | 960 - 1200 |
Absolute error = | -240 |
Absolute error = 240

Next, we can calculate the percent error by dividing the absolute error by the estimated attendance and multiplying by 100.

Percent error = (Absolute error / Estimated attendance) * 100
Percent error = (240 / 1200) * 100
Percent error = 0.2 * 100
Percent error = 20%

Therefore, the percent error for the organizers' estimate is 20%.