From 2003 to 2004 the number of applicants to a college increased 15% to 5060.How many applicants were there in 2003?
1.15x = 5060
To find the number of applicants in 2003, we can use the following steps:
Step 1: Let's assume the number of applicants in 2003 as 'x'.
Step 2: From the problem, we know that the number of applicants increased by 15% from 2003 to 2004. This means that the number of applicants in 2003 (x) plus 15% of x equals the number of applicants in 2004 (5060).
Step 3: Mathematically, we can express this as:
x + 0.15x = 5060
Step 4: Simplify the equation:
1.15x = 5060
Step 5: Divide both sides of the equation by 1.15 to isolate x:
x = 5060 / 1.15
Step 6: Calculate the value of x:
x ≈ 4391.30
Therefore, there were approximately 4391 applicants in 2003.