According to the US Bureau of the Census, the world population in 1950 was 2,555,360,972. In 2003 it was 6,302,486,693. (These are estimated midyear figures. The table given by the Bureau also lists projected population figures for 2004-2050.) Based on these figures, assuming that the population increased by the same percentage each year from 1950 to 2003, that yearly increase was percent. The corresponding figures for the US are populations of 152,271,000 in 1950 and 290,343,000 in 2003. This corresponds to an annual growth rate of percent.
Hint: Enter a radical expression, or a decimal approximation with least two correctly rounded digits beyond the decimal point. If you believe that this problem requires logarithms for its solution you are on the wrong track.