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put this solution on YOUR website!national debt was approximately 5.97 * 10^12 dollars. At that time, the population of the U.S. was 2.87 * 10^8. In May of 2002, what was the average U.S. debt per person?
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5.97*10^12 / 2.87*10^8
Divide 5.97 by 2.87 to get 2.08
Divide 10^12 by 10^8 to get 10^4
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Answer: 2.08*10^4 or $20,800 per person
Cheers,
Stan H.