the population of a town increases 8% annually if it present population is 142560 what was it a year ago?

Answer

To find the population of the town a year ago, we can use the formula for percentage increase. The present population is given as 142,560, and the population increases by 8% annually.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Problem**: We need to find the population of the town one year ago, given that the population increases by 8% annually.

2. **Set Up the Equation**:
Let the population a year ago be \( X \). After a year, the population increases by 8%, which can be expressed as:
\[ \text{Present Population} = \text{Previous Population} + \text{Increase} \]
The increase can be calculated as \( 8\% \) of \( X \), which is \( 0.08X \). Therefore, we can write:
\[ 142560 = X + 0.08X \]

3. **Combine Like Terms**:
The equation can be simplified:
\[ 142560 = 1.08X \]

4. **Solve for \( X \)**:
To find \( X \), we divide both sides of the equation by \( 1.08 \):
\[ X = \frac{142560}{1.08} \]

5. **Calculate \( X \)**:
Now, we perform the division:
\[ X = 132200 \]

6. **Conclusion**:
The population of the town a year ago was \( 132200 \).

### Final Answer:
The population of the town a year ago was **132,200**.

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