The population of a town increases `10%` annually. If the present population is 1,54,000, what was the population of the town a year ago?

Answer

To find the population of the town a year ago given that the current population is 154,000 and it increases by 10% annually, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Problem**:
- The current population is 154,000.
- The population increases by 10% each year.
- We need to find the population one year ago.

2. **Define the Variables**:
- Let the population a year ago be represented as \( x \).

3. **Set Up the Equation**:
- Since the population increases by 10%, the population after one year (which is the current population) can be expressed as:
\[ x + 0.10x = 154,000 \]
- This can be simplified to:
\[ 1.10x = 154,000 \]

4. **Solve for \( x \)**:
- To isolate \( x \), divide both sides of the equation by 1.10:
\[ x = \frac{154,000}{1.10} \]

5. **Calculate the Value**:
- Performing the division:
\[ x = 140,000 \]

6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the population of the town a year ago was 140,000.

### Final Answer:
The population of the town a year ago was **140,000**.

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