Pretend the world's population in 1989 was 5 billion and that the projection for 2017 is 7.5 billion.
What annual rate of growth is assumed in this prediction?
To determine the annual rate of growth assumed in the prediction, we need to calculate the average annual growth rate from 1989 to 2017.
Step 1: Calculate the total growth in population:
Population growth = 7.5 billion - 5 billion = 2.5 billion
Step 2: Calculate the number of years between 1989 and 2017:
Number of years = 2017 - 1989 = 28 years
Step 3: Calculate the average annual growth rate:
Average annual growth rate = Population growth / Number of years
Average annual growth rate = 2.5 billion / 28 years
Therefore, the assumed annual growth rate in this prediction is approximately 0.0893 billion, or 8.93%.