Question

The number of votes for candidate B was estimated to be 905. After the election, the actual number of votes for candidate B was 882. What is the percent error in the estimate? Enter your answer, rounded to the nearest tenth, in the box. %

Answer 1

we can use the formula of percent error

$e=\frac{|r-a|}{r}\times100$

where r is the real value and a the approximate value

then replacing

$e=\frac{|882-905|}{882}\times100$

and solving

$\begin{gathered} e=\frac{|-23|}{882}\times100 \\ \\ e=\frac{23}{882}\times100 \\ \\ e=0.026\times100 \\ e=2.6 \end{gathered}$

the percent error is 2.6%