I'm struggling to compare the %increase/decrease in the average homicide rate of a select group of cities to the state homicide rate.For example, if the state saw a 4% decrease (-4) in the homicide rate over a two-year period but the average homicide rate in my group of comparison cities increased by 2%(+2), how much bigger was the increase in my group of comparison cities compared to the state? Is it possible to make a statement along these lines: "The average homicide rate of the comparison group increased X times more than the state rate over the same period."It can't be this | − 4 | / 2 = 2 because it's definitely more than double.

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I&#039;m struggling to compare the %increase/decrease in the average homicide rate of a select group of cities to the state homicide rate.For example, if the state saw a 4% decrease (-4) in the homicide rate over a two-year period but the average homicide rate in my group of comparison cities increased by 2%(+2), how much bigger was the increase in my group of comparison cities compared to the state? Is it possible to make a statement along these lines: &quot;The average homicide rate of the comparison group increased X times more than the state rate over the same period.&quot;It can&#039;t be this       |    −  4      |        /    2  =  2 because it&#039;s definitely more than double.

Lily Travis · Accepted Answer

Step 1Imagine that the state initially had a homicide rate of 100. A 4 percent decrease would be 96. If we instead pretend that the state behaved like the group of comparison cities, then a 2 percent increase would be 102.Step 2Overall, the ratio between the two scenarios is       102    96    =  1.0625, which is a 6.25 percent increase.

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