Menswear projections for 2005 are bleak. the best projection available shows menswear sales to be similar to what they were in 2001. by how much would menswear sales have to decrease in 2005 to approximately the same as the menswear sales in 2001

Given:

Menswear sales for each year

2001= 22 mill 
2002= 30 mill 
2003= 35 mill 
2004= 39 mill 

Find:

Decrease in menswear sales in 2005 compared to 2001.

Solution:

The most prior year, which is 2004 in this case, is the year where the decrease would be measured against. The percentage decrease is the difference between 2004 and 2001 sales, divided by the sales in 2004, if sales decrease is the same level as in the year 2001:

Decrease in menswear sales in 2005 compared to 2001 = (39 mill - 22 mill) / 39 mill

= 17 mill / 39 mill 
= 0.435897 

= 0.435897 * 100%

= 43.59%

Therefore, menswear sales would have to decrease 43.59% in 2005 to be approximately the same as the Menswear sales in 2001.