In Miami, the number of highway accidents increased by 20% over a four year period. How many accidents were there in 2013 if there were 5,120 in 2009? Show your work.
To find the number of accidents in 2013, we first need to determine the increase in accidents over the four year period.
20% increase over four years means that the number of accidents has increased by 20% each year. To calculate this increase, we can use the formula:
Accidents in 2013 = Accidents in 2009 * (1 + increase rate)^number of years
Accidents in 2013 = 5120 * (1 + 0.20)^4
Accidents in 2013 = 5120 * (1.20)^4
Accidents in 2013 = 5120 * 2.0736
Accidents in 2013 = 10,610.432
Therefore, there were approximately 10,610 highway accidents in Miami in 2013.