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The population of a town in 20202020 was 100000. The population decreased by y%y \% from the year 20202020 to 2021, and increased by x%\mathrm{x} \% from the year 20212021 to 2022, where x and y are two natural numbers. If population in 20222022 was greater than the population in 20202020 and the difference between xx and yy is 10, then the lowest possible population of the town in 20212021 was

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 4

Given Information:

Population in 2020 = 100000

Population decreases by y% from 2020 to 2021

Population increases by x% from 2021 to 2022

Population in 2022 > Population in 2020

x - y = 10 (where x, y are natural numbers)

Goal: Find the minimum possible population in 2021


Let us express the population changes mathematically:

Population in 2021 = 100000×(1−y100)=100000×100−y100100000 \times \left(1 - \tfrac{y}{100}\right) = 100000 \times \tfrac{100-y}{100}

Population in 2022 = Population in 2021 × (1+x100)=100000×100−y100×100+x100\left(1 + \tfrac{x}{100}\right) = 100000 \times \tfrac{100-y}{100} \times \tfrac{100+x}{100}


Since population in 2022 > population in 2020:

100000×100−y100×100+x100>100000100000 \times \dfrac{100-y}{100} \times \dfrac{100+x}{100} > 100000

(100−y)(100+x)10000>1\dfrac{(100-y)(100+x)}{10000} > 1

(100−y)(100+x)>10000(100-y)(100+x) > 10000

Since x=y+10x = y + 10:

(100−y)(100+y+10)>10000(100-y)(100+y+10) > 10000

(100−y)(110+y)>10000(100-y)(110+y) > 10000


Expanding the left side:

(100−y)(110+y)=11000+100y−110y−y2=11000−10y−y2(100-y)(110+y) = 11000 + 100y - 110y - y^2 = 11000 - 10y - y^2

The inequality becomes:

11000−10y−y2>1000011000 - 10y - y^2 > 10000

1000−10y−y2>01000 - 10y - y^2 > 0

y2+10y−1000<0y^2 + 10y - 1000 < 0

Using the quadratic formula:

y=−10±100+40002=−10±41002y = \dfrac{-10 \pm \sqrt{100 + 4000}}{2} = \dfrac{-10 \pm \sqrt{4100}}{2}

Since 4100≈64.03\sqrt{4100} \approx 64.03:

y=−10±64.032y = \dfrac{-10 \pm 64.03}{2}

This gives us: y<−10+64.032=27.015y < \dfrac{-10 + 64.03}{2} = 27.015

Since y must be a natural number: y≤27y \leq 27


To minimize the population in 2021, we need to maximize the decrease (maximize y).

Maximum value of y=27y = 27

Therefore, x=y+10=37x = y + 10 = 37

Minimum population in 2021 = 100000×100−27100=100000×73100=73000100000 \times \dfrac{100-27}{100} = 100000 \times \dfrac{73}{100} = 73000


Therefore, the minimum possible population in 2021 is 73000.

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