Question

In 1992, Packard Bell accounted for what percent of the computers sold by the four companies listed? 


 

• A. 6%
• B. 9%
• C. 10%
• D. 12%
• E. 14%

Hint:

For quick estimation on multiple-choice questions, you can approximate the denominator. \(\frac{6}{43}\) is slightly less than \(\frac{6}{42} = \frac{1}{7}\). Since \(\frac{1}{7} \approx 14.3%\), the answer must be very close to 14%.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks for a part-to-whole percentage. We need to find the total number of computers sold by all four companies in 1992 and then determine what percentage of that total was sold by Packard Bell.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
The formula for percentage is:
\[ \text{Percentage} = \left( \frac{\text{Part}}{\text{Whole}} \right) \times 100% \] Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
First, we read the sales data for 1992 (the lighter bars) for all four companies from the graph:
- IBM = 1.4 million
- Apple = 1.6 million
- Compaq = 0.7 million
- Packard Bell = 0.6 million
Next, we calculate the total sales (the "Whole") in 1992:
\[ \text{Total Sales} = 1.4 + 1.6 + 0.7 + 0.6 = 4.3 \text{ million} \] The "Part" is the sales by Packard Bell, which is 0.6 million.
Now, we calculate the percentage:
\[ \text{Percentage} = \left( \frac{0.6}{4.3} \right) \times 100% \] \[ \text{Percentage} = \frac{6}{43} \times 100% \approx 0.1395 \times 100% = 13.95% \] This value is closest to 14%.
Step 4: Final Answer:
In 1992, Packard Bell accounted for approximately 14% of the computers sold by the four companies.