To find the percent decrease in the population, we would follow these steps:
1. Calculate the actual decrease in the population by subtracting the final population from the initial population.
2. Divide the population decrease by the initial population to find the decimal fraction representing the decrease.
3. Multiply the decimal fraction by 100 to convert it to a percentage.
4. Round the percentage to the nearest tenth.
Let's go through each step with the given numbers:
1. Calculate the actual decrease in the population:
Decrease = Initial Population - Final Population
= 4458 thousand - 3752 thousand
= 706 thousand
2. Find the decimal fraction representing the decrease:
Decrease Fraction = Decrease / Initial Population
= 706 thousand / 4458 thousand
≈ 0.1584 (when calculated to four decimal places)
3. Convert the fraction to a percent:
Percent Decrease = Decrease Fraction × 100
≈ 0.1584 × 100
≈ 15.84%
4. Round the percentage to the nearest tenth:
Percent Decrease (rounded) ≈ 15.8%
Therefore, the percent decrease in the population is approximately 15.8%.
