In a town of 500 households, 220 have a dog. The population proportion of dog owners in this town (expressed as a decimal) is p = __________.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the total number of households in the town, which is given as 500.
2. Identify the number of households that have a dog, which is given as 220.
3. Recall that the population proportion \( p \) is calculated as the ratio of the number of households with a dog to the total number of households.
4. Write the formula for the population proportion: \[ p = \frac{\text{number of households with a dog}}{\text{total number of households}} \]
5. Substitute the given values into the formula: \[ p = \frac{220}{500} \] and simplify the fraction to express \( p \) as a decimal.

Key Concepts

Population Proportion

Population proportion refers to the fraction or percentage of the entire population that possesses a certain characteristic. It is calculated by dividing the number of individuals with the characteristic by the total population size. In this question, it represents the proportion of households owning a dog.

Decimal Representation of Proportion

Proportions can be expressed as decimals by dividing the part by the whole. For example, if 220 out of 500 households have a dog, the decimal proportion is 220 ÷ 500 = 0.44. This decimal form is often used in statistical calculations and comparisons.

Basic Division and Ratio

Understanding how to compute ratios and perform division is essential to find proportions. The ratio compares the part to the whole, and division converts this ratio into a decimal value, which quantifies the proportion in a standardized way.