The number of a country's unemployed workers decreased from 3.2 million to 2.5 million last year. If the country's population remained constant at 74
million, how did its unemployment rate change last year?
A. It increased by about 1%.
B. It increased by about 9%.
C. It decreased by about 1%.
D. It decreased by about 9%.

C - It decreased by about 1%

Step-by-step explanation:

We can immediately eliminate two of the potential answers - A and B. Both answers suggest the unemployment rate increased, but the question states it actually decreased from 3.2 million to 2.5 million, so we know both of those answers are incorrect.

So we're left with options C and D.

The first thing we're going to do is figure out 1% of 74 million using this equation;

74,000,000 ÷ 100 = 740,000.

This tells us that 1% of the country's population is 740,000, and since the population didn't change during the decrease of unemployment, this is the number that will decide the percentage in our answer.

Next we're going to subtract 2.5 million from 3.2 million to find the difference between the two, and thus, the amount the unemployment rate decreased by.

3,200,000 - 2,500,000 = 700,000.

The result of that equation (700,000) already gives us our answer. If 1% of the population is 740,000, and the number the unemployment rate dropped by is 700,000, then the answer to the question is C.

The numbers can't get any closer, therefore the answer to the question is option C - It decreased by about 1%

Extra:

Just for confirmation, I'll show you what we'd have done to figure out 9%, and why it couldn't have been the answer.

To find 9% we would've either divided 74 million by 10 to get 10%, and then subtracted 1%, or we could've multiplied 1% by 9. Since we already know the value of 1%, let's go with the latter method;

740,000 (1%) × 9 = 6,660,000.

9% of 74 million is 6,660,000.

Obviously, this number is no where near to the number the unemployment rate decreased by, and therefore, could not have been the answer. Since we have eliminated options A, B and D, we know for sure the answer is C.

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