The population of a town in China inreases by 20% every year If its present popularion is 2,16,000 , find:
its population 2 years ago.

Answer

To find the population of the town two years ago, we can use the formula for compound interest, which can also be applied to population growth. The formula for the future value (population after a certain number of years) is given by:

\[ A = P \left(1 + \frac{R}{100}\right)^n \]

Where:
- \( A \) is the future population.
- \( P \) is the present population.
- \( R \) is the rate of increase (in percentage).
- \( n \) is the number of years.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the given values:**
- Present population \( A = 2,16,000 \)
- Rate of increase \( R = 20\% \)
- Number of years \( n = 2 \)

2. **Set up the equation using the formula:**
\[ 2,16,000 = P \left(1 + \frac{20}{100}\right)^2 \]

3. **Simplify the expression inside the parentheses:**
\[ 1 + \frac{20}{100} = 1 + 0.2 = 1.2 \]
So, the equation becomes:
\[ 2,16,000 = P (1.2)^2 \]

4. **Calculate \( (1.2)^2 \):**
\[ (1.2)^2 = 1.44 \]
Therefore, the equation now is:
\[ 2,16,000 = P \times 1.44 \]

5. **Solve for \( P \):**
\[ P = \frac{2,16,000}{1.44} \]

6. **Calculate \( P \):**
\[ P = \frac{2,16,000}{1.44} = 1,50,000 \]

### Conclusion:
The population of the town two years ago was **1,50,000**.