The amount in a savings account increased from \( \$ 150 \) to \( \$ 153 \). What was the percent of increase? The percent of increase was \( \square \% \). (Simplify your answer.)

To find the percent of increase, you can use the formula: \[ \text{Percent Increase} = \left( \frac{\text{New Amount} - \text{Original Amount}}{\text{Original Amount}} \right) \times 100 \] Substituting the values: \[ \text{Percent Increase} = \left( \frac{153 - 150}{150} \right) \times 100 = \left( \frac{3}{150} \right) \times 100 = 2\% \] So, the percent of increase was \( 2\% \). Getting acquainted with percentages is like mastering the art of cooking: a pinch of this, a dash of that, and voila! Understanding how to calculate percentage increases can help you in budgeting, investments, and even shopping sales, turning you into a savvy money manager! Did you know that percentages were first used by the ancient Romans? They had a system for calculating interest rates and taxes, laying the groundwork for modern finance. This fascination with proportion and ratio paved the way for the mathematical concepts we use today!