Question

3. The U.S. Census Bureau statistics showed that more than 1.3 million people in Illinois-about 11% of the population-are without medical insurance. What approximately would be the total population of Illinois? Round to the nearest million.

Answer 1

So here's the problem restated more concisely:
11% of x is 1.3 million. What is x? Can you figure it out in this form?

Answer 2

Is it $115.7 Million?

Answer 3

How did you get that number?

Answer 4

I figured if 1.3 million is 11% then 89% would be 115.7 million. I suck at math so I have not clue.

Answer 5

How did you get 89% would be 115.7 million? And don't say you suck at math, nobody sucks at math. :)

Answer 6

No really I do. My brain just freezes up. I did 1.3 x 89 = 115.7

Answer 7

OK. Why would you do that? Let's make up a simpler problem. Say you had a party. You have 10 red cupcakes. That's 25% of the total number of cupcakes you have. How many cupcakes do you have in total?

Answer 8

40

Answer 9

How did you get that?

Answer 10

because there are four 25's in 100. so I just added 10 four times.

Answer 11

Right. You know there are 4 25's in 100. That's because you divided 100 by 25. 100/25=4. And then you multiplied that by the 10 cupcakes you have. It's exactly the same here. Now, you have 1.3 million red cupcakes and that made up 11% of the number of cupcakes you have. So how many times does 11 go into 100? You divide 100 by 11. Following me so far?

Answer 12

yes

Answer 13

9.09

Answer 14

Right, now what do you do? Remember that the last time you multiplied that result with the number of red cupcakes you have.

Answer 15

1.3 x 9.09 ?

Answer 16

that would be 11.82

Answer 17

Yes. That would be 11.82 million cupcakes you have in total. Now, when we get less goofy then we know that Illinois has 11.82 million people.

Answer 18

Thank you so much.

Answer 19

No problem.

Answer 20

Except now I'm questioning if I have the other answers correct now or not. Oh well I will go over them and see if any are similar, thanks again.