The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is the most common measure of stock market prices. Suppose that the DJIA starts at 17,149 points and drops 500 points. This is a decrease of:
A) 0.029 percent.
B) 2.9 percent.
C) 29.1 percent.
D) 291 percent.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To calculate the percent decrease, we need to divide the amount of decrease by the original value, then multiply by 100.

Percent decrease = (Amount of decrease / Original value) x 100 
Percent decrease = (500 / 17,149) x 100 
Percent decrease = 2.92 or 2.9% (rounded to one decimal place)

Therefore, the answer is B.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) Is the Most Common