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5.2.1: Solving Percent Problems

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Learning Objectives

• Identify the amount, the base, and the percent in a percent problem.
• Find the unknown in a percent problem.

Introduction

Percents are a ratio of a number and 100, so they are easier to compare than fractions, as they always have the same denominator, 100. A store may have a 10% off sale. The amount saved is always the same portion or fraction of the price, but a higher price means more money is taken off. Interest rates on a saving account work in the same way. The more money you put in your account, the more money you get in interest. It’s helpful to understand how these percents are calculated.

Parts of a Percent Problem

Jeff has a coupon at the Guitar Store for 15% off any purchase of $100 or more. He wants to buy a used guitar that has a price tag of $220 on it. Jeff wonders how much money the coupon will take off the original $220 price.

Problems involving percents have any three quantities to work with: the percent , the amount , and the base .

• The percent has the percent symbol (%) or the word “percent.” In the problem above, 15% is the percent off the purchase price.
• The base is the whole amount. In the problem above, the whole price of the guitar is $220, which is the base.
• The amount is the number that relates to the percent. It is always part of the whole. In the problem above, the amount is unknown. Since the percent is the percent off , the amount will be the amount off of the price.

You will return to this problem a bit later. The following examples show how to identify the three parts: the percent, the base, and the amount.

Identify the percent, amount, and base in this problem.

30 is 20% of what number?

Percent: The percent is the number with the % symbol: 20%.

Base : The base is the whole amount, which in this case is unknown.

Amount: The amount based on the percent is 30.

Percent=20%

Base=unknown

The previous problem states that 30 is a portion of another number. That means 30 is the amount. Note that this problem could be rewritten: 20% of what number is 30?

Identify the percent, base, and amount in this problem:

What percent of 30 is 3?

The percent is unknown, because the problem states " What percent?" The base is the whole in the situation, so the base is 30. The amount is the portion of the whole, which is 3 in this case.

Solving with Equations

Percent problems can be solved by writing equations. An equation uses an equal sign (=) to show that two mathematical expressions have the same value.

Percents are fractions, and just like fractions, when finding a percent (or fraction, or portion) of another amount, you multiply.

The percent of the base is the amount.

Percent of the Base is the Amount.

\[\ \text { Percent } {\color{red}\cdot}\text { Base }{\color{blue}=}\text { Amount } \nonumber \]

In the examples below, the unknown is represented by the letter \(\ n\). The unknown can be represented by any letter or a box \(\ \square\) or even a question mark.

Write an equation that represents the following problem.

\(\ 20 \% \cdot n=30\)

Once you have an equation, you can solve it and find the unknown value. To do this, think about the relationship between multiplication and division. Look at the pairs of multiplication and division facts below, and look for a pattern in each row.

Multiplication and division are inverse operations. What one does to a number, the other “undoes.”

When you have an equation such as \(\ 20 \% \cdot n=30\), you can divide 30 by 20% to find the unknown: \(\ n=30 \div 20 \%\).

You can solve this by writing the percent as a decimal or fraction and then dividing.

\(\ n=30 \div 20 \%=30 \div 0.20=150\)

What percent of 72 is 9?

\(\ 12.5 \% \text { of } 72 \text { is } 9\).

You can estimate to see if the answer is reasonable. Use 10% and 20%, numbers close to 12.5%, to see if they get you close to the answer.

\(\ 10 \% \text { of } 72=0.1 \cdot 72=7.2\)

\(\ 20 \% \text { of } 72=0.2 \cdot 72=14.4\)

Notice that 9 is between 7.2 and 14.4, so 12.5% is reasonable since it is between 10% and 20%.

What is 110% of 24?

\(\ 26.4 \text { is } 110 \% \text { of } 24\).

This problem is a little easier to estimate. 100% of 24 is 24. And 110% is a little bit more than 24. So, 26.4 is a reasonable answer.

18 is what percent of 48?

• \(\ 0.375 \%\)
• \(\ 8.64 \%\)
• \(\ 37.5 \%\)
• \(\ 864 \%\)

Incorrect. You may have calculated properly, but you forgot to move the decimal point when you rewrote your answer as a percent. The equation for this problem is \(\ n \cdot 48=18\). The corresponding division is \(\ 18 \div 48\), so \(\ n=0.375\). Rewriting this decimal as a percent gives the correct answer, \(\ 37.5 \%\).

Incorrect. You may have used \(\ 18\) or \(\ 48\) as the percent, rather than the amount or base. The equation for this problem is \(\ n \cdot 48=18\). The corresponding division is \(\ 18 \div 48\), so \(\ n=0.375\). Rewriting this decimal as a percent gives the correct answer, \(\ 37.5 \%\).

Correct. The equation for this problem is \(\ n \cdot 48=18\). The corresponding division is \(\ 18 \div 48\), so \(\ n=0.375\). Rewriting this decimal as a percent gives \(\ 37.5 \%\).

Incorrect. You probably used 18 or 48 as the percent, rather than the amount or base, and also forgot to rewrite the percent as a decimal before multiplying. The equation for this problem is \(\ n \cdot 48=18\). The corresponding division is \(\ 18 \div 48\), so \(\ n=0.375\). Rewriting this decimal as a percent gives the correct answer, \(\ 37.5 \%\).

Using Proportions to Solve Percent Problems

Percent problems can also be solved by writing a proportion. A proportion is an equation that sets two ratios or fractions equal to each other. With percent problems, one of the ratios is the percent, written as \(\ \frac{n}{100}\). The other ratio is the amount to the base.

\(\ \text { Percent }=\frac{\text { amount }}{\text { base }}\)

Write a proportion to find the answer to the following question.

30 is 20% of 150.

18 is 125% of what number?

• \(\ 0.144\)
• \(\ 694 \frac{4}{9}\) (or about \(\ 694.4\))

Incorrect. You probably didn’t write a proportion and just divided 18 by 125. Or, you incorrectly set up one fraction as \(\ \frac{18}{125}\) and set this equal to the base, \(\ n\). The percent in this case is 125%, so one fraction in the proportion should be \(\ \frac{125}{100}\). The base is unknown and the amount is 18, so the other fraction is \(\ \frac{18}{n}\). Solving the proportion \(\ \frac{125}{100}=\frac{18}{n}\) gives \(\ n=14.4\).

Correct. The percent in this case is 125%, so one fraction in the proportion should be \(\ \frac{125}{100}\). The base is unknown and the amount is 18, so the other fraction is \(\ \frac{18}{n}\). Solving the proportion \(\ \frac{125}{100}=\frac{18}{n}\) gives \(\ n=14.4\).

Incorrect. You probably put the amount (18) over 100 in the proportion, rather than the percent (125). Perhaps you thought 18 was the percent and 125 was the base. The correct percent fraction for the proportion is \(\ \frac{125}{100}\). The base is unknown and the amount is 18, so the other fraction is \(\ \frac{18}{n}\). Solving the proportion \(\ \frac{125}{100}=\frac{18}{n}\) gives \(\ n=14.4\).

Incorrect. You probably confused the amount (18) with the percent (125) when you set up the proportion. The correct percent fraction for the proportion is \(\ \frac{125}{100}\). The base is unknown and the amount is 18, so the other fraction is \(\ \frac{18}{n}\). Solving the proportion \(\ \frac{125}{100}=\frac{18}{n}\) gives \(\ n=14.4\).

Let’s go back to the problem that was posed at the beginning. You can now solve this problem as shown in the following example.

Jeff has a coupon at the Guitar Store for 15% off any purchase of $100 or more. He wants to buy a used guitar that has a price tag of $220 on it. Jeff wonders how much money the coupon will take off of the $220 original price .

The coupon will take $33 off the original price.

You can estimate to see if the answer is reasonable. Since 15% is half way between 10% and 20%, find these numbers.

\(\ \begin{array}{l} 10 \% \text { of } 220=0.1 \cdot 220=22 \\ 20 \% \text { of } 220=0.2 \cdot 220=44 \end{array}\)

The answer, 33, is between 22 and 44. So $33 seems reasonable.

There are many other situations that involve percents. Below are just a few.

Evelyn bought some books at the local bookstore. Her total bill was $31.50, which included 5% tax. How much did the books cost before tax?

The books cost $30 before tax.

Susana worked 20 hours at her job last week. This week, she worked 35 hours. In terms of a percent, how much more did she work this week than last week?

Since 35 is 175% of 20, Susana worked 75% more this week than she did last week. (You can think of this as, “Susana worked 100% of the hours she worked last week, as well as 75% more.”)

Percent problems have three parts: the percent, the base (or whole), and the amount. Any of those parts may be the unknown value to be found. To solve percent problems, you can use the equation, \(\ \text { Percent } \cdot \text { Base }=\text { Amount }\), and solve for the unknown numbers. Or, you can set up the proportion, \(\ \text { Percent }=\frac{\text { amount }}{\text { base }}\), where the percent is a ratio of a number to 100. You can then use cross multiplication to solve the proportion.

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Solved Examples on Percentage

The solved examples on percentage will help us to understand how to solve step-by-step different types of percentage problems. Now we will apply the concept of percentage to solve various real-life examples on percentage.

Solved examples on percentage:

1.  In an election, candidate A got 75% of the total valid votes. If 15% of the total votes were declared invalid and the total numbers of votes is 560000, find the number of valid vote polled in favour of candidate.

Total number of invalid votes = 15 % of 560000

                                       = 15/100 × 560000

                                       = 8400000/100

                                       = 84000

Total number of valid votes 560000 – 84000 = 476000

Percentage of votes polled in favour of candidate A = 75 %

Therefore, the number of valid votes polled in favour of candidate A = 75 % of 476000

= 75/100 × 476000

= 35700000/100

2. A shopkeeper bought 600 oranges and 400 bananas. He found 15% of oranges and 8% of bananas were rotten. Find the percentage of fruits in good condition.

Total number of fruits shopkeeper bought = 600 + 400 = 1000

Number of rotten oranges = 15% of 600

                                    = 15/100 × 600

                                    = 9000/100

                                    = 90

Number of rotten bananas = 8% of 400

                                   = 8/100 × 400

                                   = 3200/100

                                   = 32

Therefore, total number of rotten fruits = 90 + 32 = 122

Therefore Number of fruits in good condition = 1000 - 122 = 878

Therefore Percentage of fruits in good condition = (878/1000 × 100)%

                                                                 = (87800/1000)%

                                                                 = 87.8%

3. Aaron had $ 2100 left after spending 30 % of the money he took for shopping. How much money did he take along with him?

Solution:            

Let the money he took for shopping be m.

Money he spent = 30 % of m

                      = 30/100 × m

                      = 3/10 m

Money left with him = m – 3/10 m = (10m – 3m)/10 = 7m/10

But money left with him = $ 2100

Therefore 7m/10 = $ 2100          

m = $ 2100× 10/7

m = $ 21000/7

Therefore, the money he took for shopping is $ 3000.

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Increase Percentage

Decrease Percentage

Basic Problems on Percentage

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Application of Percentage

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Home / United States / Math Classes / 6th Grade Math / Solving Problems Based on Percentage

Solving Problems Based on Percentage

Percent is an alternate method of representing fractions and decimals. Here we will learn different methods of calculati ng the percent and the steps involved in each method. We will also look at some examples that will help you gain a better understanding of the concept. ...Read More Read Less

Table Of Contents

What is meant by percentage?

Solving problems based on percentages, finding the percentage of a number, finding the whole number from the percent, finding the whole using the ratio method, solved examples.

• Frequently Asked Questions

In mathematics, a percentage is a number or ratio that represents a fraction of 100. The symbol “ % ” is frequently used to represent it, and it has a few hundred years of history. While we are on the topic of percentages, one example will be, the decimal 0.35, or the fraction \(\frac{7}{20}\) , which is equivalent to 35 percent, or 35%.

By solving problems based on percentages, we can find the missing values and find the values of various unknowns in a given problem.

Find 40% of 200.

\(\frac{40}{100}\times 200\)              Write the percentage as a fraction

\(\frac{2}{5}\times 200=800\)            Simplify

First, write the percentage as a fraction or decimal. Then, divide the fraction or decimal by the part. This method applies to any situation in which a percentage and its value are given. 

If 2 percent equals 80, multiply 80 by 100 and divide it by 2 to get 4000.

Prove that 20% of 120 is 24. 

20% =\(\frac{20}{100}\)       Write the percent as a fraction or decimal.

Using multiplication equation:

\(\frac{20}{100}\times 120=24\)      Simplify

To prove the reverse of this solution we use the  division equation:

\(\frac{24}{\frac{20}{100}}\)      Simplify

\(\frac{2400}{20}=120\)    

A ratio table is the table that shows the comparison between two units and shows the relationship between them.

Example 1: What is 25% of 50?

We have 25% of 50.

So, 25% of 50 = \(\frac{1}{4}\times 50\) Write the percentage as a fraction or decimal.

                       = \(\frac{50}{4}\)     Simplify.

                       = 12.5  

Example 2: Using the ratio table, answer the following question:

What is 60% of 200?

We have 60% of 200.

Now, we have to use the ratio table to find the part. Let one row represent the part and the other row represent the whole row in the table and find the equivalent ratio of 200.

The first column represents the percentage = \(\frac{60}{100}\)

So, 60% of 200 is 120.

Example 3: Find the whole of the number.

                  50% of what number is 45.

We have: 50% of what number is 45?

Use division equation

\(\frac{45}{50%}\)    Write the percentage as a fraction or decimal

\(=\frac{45}{\frac{1}{2}}\)  Simplify

So, \(45\times 2=90\)

Hence, 50% of 90 is 45

Example 4: Find the whole of the number using the ratio table.

140% of what number is 84

We have to find 140% of what number is 84.

Use the ratio table to find the part. Let one be the part and the other be the whole row in the table. Now, find the equivalent ratio of 200.

So, 140% of 60 is 84.

Example 5: A rectangular hall’s width is 60 percent of its length.

What are the room’s dimensions?

Solution:  

Calculate the width of the room by taking 60% of 15 feet.

\(60%\times 15\) Write the percentage as a fraction or decimal.

= \(0.6\times 15\)      Simplify

We can al so understand it with the help of a diagram:

The width is 9 feet.

Area of the rectangle = \(\text{length}\times \text{width}\)

                                    = \(15\times 9\)

                                    = 135

Hence, the area of the given room is 135 \(feet^2\).

Example 6: You have won a camping trip at an auction at your school fair that cost $80. Your bid is 40% of your maximum bid for the price of the camping trip. How much more would you be willing to pay for the trip if you hadn’t already paid the full price?

You are given the winning camping bid that represents the maximum bid as well as the percentage of your maximum bid. You must calculate how much more you would have paid for the camping trip if you had known how much more you were willing to pay.

Your winning bid is the part, and your maximum bid is the whole.

Create a model based on the fact that 40% of the total is $80 to determine the highest bid. Then divide the winning bid by the maximum bid to find out how much more you were willing to pay.

The maximum bid is $200 and the winning bid is $80. So, you would be willing to bid $200 – $80 = $120 more for the tickets.

How do you calculate a percentage?

To calculate a percentage, divide the given value by the total value and multiply the result by 100. That is “(value/total value) x 100%”. This is the formula for calculating percentages.

In mathematics, a percentage is a number or ratio that represents a fraction of 100 in mathematics. Percentage is usually represented by the symbol “%”. It is also written simply as “percent” or “pct”. For example, the decimal 0.35, or the fraction \(\frac{35}{100}\), is equivalent to 0.35.

What is the purpose of percentages?

Percentages are used to figure out “how much” or “how many” of something is to be taken from a given value. Percentage makes it easier to calculate the exact amount or figure being discussed. In order to determine whether a percentage increase or decrease has occurred, a comparison of fractions is done. This aids in calculating percentages of profit and loss, for example in real life situations.

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Solving problems with percentages

• Price difference I
• Price difference II
• How many students?

To solve problems with percent we use the percent proportion shown in "Proportions and percent".

$$\frac{a}{b}=\frac{x}{100}$$

$$\frac{a}{{\color{red} {b}}}\cdot {\color{red} {b}}=\frac{x}{100}\cdot b$$

$$a=\frac{x}{100}\cdot b$$

x/100 is called the rate.

$$a=r\cdot b\Rightarrow Percent=Rate\cdot Base$$

Where the base is the original value and the percentage is the new value.

47% of the students in a class of 34 students has glasses or contacts. How many students in the class have either glasses or contacts?

$$a=r\cdot b$$

$$47\%=0.47a$$

$$=0.47\cdot 34$$

$$a=15.98\approx 16$$

16 of the students wear either glasses or contacts.

We often get reports about how much something has increased or decreased as a percent of change. The percent of change tells us how much something has changed in comparison to the original number. There are two different methods that we can use to find the percent of change.

The Mathplanet school has increased its student body from 150 students to 240 from last year. How big is the increase in percent?

We begin by subtracting the smaller number (the old value) from the greater number (the new value) to find the amount of change.

$$240-150=90$$

Then we find out how many percent this change corresponds to when compared to the original number of students

$$90=r\cdot 150$$

$$\frac{90}{150}=r$$

$$0.6=r= 60\%$$

We begin by finding the ratio between the old value (the original value) and the new value

$$percent\:of\:change=\frac{new\:value}{old\:value}=\frac{240}{150}=1.6$$

As you might remember 100% = 1. Since we have a percent of change that is bigger than 1 we know that we have an increase. To find out how big of an increase we've got we subtract 1 from 1.6.

$$1.6-1=0.6$$

$$0.6=60\%$$

As you can see both methods gave us the same answer which is that the student body has increased by 60%

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A skirt cost $35 regulary in a shop. At a sale the price of the skirtreduces with 30%. How much will the skirt cost after the discount?

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Percentages Worksheets

Welcome to the percentages math worksheet page where we are 100% committed to providing excellent math worksheets. This page includes Percentages worksheets including calculating percentages of a number, percentage rates, and original amounts and percentage increase and decrease worksheets.

As you probably know, percentages are a special kind of decimal. Most calculations involving percentages involve using the percentage in its decimal form. This is achieved by dividing the percentage amount by 100. There are many worksheets on percentages below. In the first few sections, there are worksheets involving the three main types of percentage problems: calculating the percentage value of a number, calculating the percentage rate of one number compared to another number, and calculating the original amount given the percentage value and the percentage rate.

Most Popular Percentages Worksheets this Week

Percentage Calculations

Calculating the percentage value of a number involves a little bit of multiplication. One should be familiar with decimal multiplication and decimal place value before working with percentage values. The percentage value needs to be converted to a decimal by dividing by 100. 18%, for example is 18 ÷ 100 = 0.18. When a question asks for a percentage value of a number, it is asking you to multiply the two numbers together.

Example question: What is 18% of 2800? Answer: Convert 18% to a decimal and multiply by 2800. 2800 × 0.18 = 504. 504 is 18% of 2800.

• Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Number Results) Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Number Results) (Percents from 1% to 99%) Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Number Results) (Select percents) Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Number Results) (Percents that are multiples of 5%) Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Number Results) (Percents that are multiples of 25%)
• Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Number Results) Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Number Results) (Percents from 1% to 99%) Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Number Results) (Select percents) Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Number Results) (Percents that are multiples of 5%) Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Number Results) (Percents that are multiples of 25%)
• Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Dollar Results) Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Dollar Results) (Percents from 1% to 99%) Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Dollar Results) (Select percents) Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Dollar Results) (Percents that are multiples of 5%) Calculating the Percentage Value (Whole Dollar Results) (Percents that are multiples of 25%)
• Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Dollar Results) Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Dollar Results) (Percents from 1% to 99%) Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Dollar Results) (Select percents) Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Dollar Results) (Percents that are multiples of 5%) Calculating the Percentage Value (Decimal Dollar Results) (Percents that are multiples of 25%)

Calculating what percentage one number is of another number is the second common type of percentage calculation. In this case, division is required followed by converting the decimal to a percentage. If the first number is 100% of the value, the second number will also be 100% if the two numbers are equal; however, this isn't usually the case. If the second number is less than the first number, the second number is less than 100%. If the second number is greater than the first number, the second number is greater than 100%. A simple example is: What percentage of 10 is 6? Because 6 is less than 10, it must also be less than 100% of 10. To calculate, divide 6 by 10 to get 0.6; then convert 0.6 to a percentage by multiplying by 100. 0.6 × 100 = 60%. Therefore, 6 is 60% of 10.

Example question: What percentage of 3700 is 2479? First, recognize that 2479 is less than 3700, so the percentage value must also be less than 100%. Divide 2479 by 3700 and multiply by 100. 2479 ÷ 3700 × 100 = 67%.

• Calculating the Percentage a Whole Number is of Another Whole Number Calculating the Percentage a Whole Number is of Another Whole Number (Percents from 1% to 99%) Calculating the Percentage a Whole Number is of Another Whole Number (Select percents) Calculating the Percentage a Whole Number is of Another Whole Number (Percents that are multiples of 5%) Calculating the Percentage a Whole Number is of Another Whole Number (Percents that are multiples of 25%)
• Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Number is of a Whole Number Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Number is of a Whole Number (Percents from 1% to 99%) Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Number is of a Whole Number (Select percents) Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Number is of a Whole Number (Percents that are multiples of 5%) Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Number is of a Whole Number (Percents that are multiples of 25%)
• Calculating the Percentage a Whole Dollar Amount is of Another Whole Dollar Amount Calculating the Percentage a Whole Dollar Amount is of Another Whole Dollar Amount (Percents from 1% to 99%) Calculating the Percentage a Whole Dollar Amount is of Another Whole Dollar Amount (Select percents) Calculating the Percentage a Whole Dollar Amount is of Another Whole Dollar Amount (Percents that are multiples of 5%) Calculating the Percentage a Whole Dollar Amount is of Another Whole Dollar Amount (Percents that are multiples of 25%)
• Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Dollar Amount is of a Whole Dollar Amount Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Dollar Amount is of a Whole Dollar Amount (Percents from 1% to 99%) Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Dollar Amount is of a Whole Dollar Amount (Select percents) Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Dollar Amount is of a Whole Dollar Amount (Percents that are multiples of 5%) Calculating the Percentage a Decimal Dollar Amount is of a Whole Dollar Amount (Percents that are multiples of 25%)

The third type of percentage calculation involves calculating the original amount from the percentage value and the percentage. The process involved here is the reverse of calculating the percentage value of a number. To get 10% of 100, for example, multiply 100 × 0.10 = 10. To reverse this process, divide 10 by 0.10 to get 100. 10 ÷ 0.10 = 100.

Example question: 4066 is 95% of what original amount? To calculate 4066 in the first place, a number was multiplied by 0.95 to get 4066. To reverse this process, divide to get the original number. In this case, 4066 ÷ 0.95 = 4280.

• Calculating the Original Amount from a Whole Number Result and a Percentage Calculating the Original Amount (Percents from 1% to 99%) ( Whole Numbers ) Calculating the Original Amount (Select percents) ( Whole Numbers ) Calculating the Original Amount (Percents that are multiples of 5%) ( Whole Numbers ) Calculating the Original Amount (Percents that are multiples of 25%) ( Whole Numbers )
• Calculating the Original Amount from a Decimal Number Result and a Percentage Calculating the Original Amount (Percents from 1% to 99%) ( Decimals ) Calculating the Original Amount (Select percents) ( Decimals ) Calculating the Original Amount (Percents that are multiples of 5%) ( Decimals ) Calculating the Original Amount (Percents that are multiples of 25%) ( Decimals )
• Calculating the Original Amount from a Whole Dollar Result and a Percentage Calculating the Original Amount (Percents from 1% to 99%) ( Dollar Amounts and Whole Numbers ) Calculating the Original Amount (Select percents) ( Dollar Amounts and Whole Numbers ) Calculating the Original Amount (Percents that are multiples of 5%) ( Dollar Amounts and Whole Numbers ) Calculating the Original Amount (Percents that are multiples of 25%) ( Dollar Amounts and Whole Numbers )
• Calculating the Original Amount from a Decimal Dollar Result and a Percentage Calculating the Original Amount (Percents from 1% to 99%) ( Dollar Amounts and Decimals ) Calculating the Original Amount (Select percents) ( Dollar Amounts and Decimals ) Calculating the Original Amount (Percents that are multiples of 5%) ( Dollar Amounts and Decimals ) Calculating the Original Amount (Percents that are multiples of 25%) ( Dollar Amounts and Decimals )
• Mixed Percentage Calculations with Whole Number Percentage Values Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents from 1% to 99%) ( Whole Numbers ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Select percents) ( Whole Numbers ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents that are multiples of 5%) ( Whole Numbers ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents that are multiples of 25%) ( Whole Numbers )
• Mixed Percentage Calculations with Decimal Percentage Values Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents from 1% to 99%) ( Decimals ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Select percents) ( Decimals ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents that are multiples of 5%) ( Decimals ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents that are multiples of 25%) ( Decimals )
• Mixed Percentage Calculations with Whole Dollar Percentage Values Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents from 1% to 99%) ( Dollar Amounts and Whole Numbers ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Select percents) ( Dollar Amounts and Whole Numbers ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents that are multiples of 5%) ( Dollar Amounts and Whole Numbers ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents that are multiples of 25%) ( Dollar Amounts and Whole Numbers )
• Mixed Percentage Calculations with Decimal Dollar Percentage Values Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents from 1% to 99%) ( Dollar Amounts and Decimals ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Select percents) ( Dollar Amounts and Decimals ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents that are multiples of 5%) ( Dollar Amounts and Decimals ) Mixed Percentage Calculations (Percents that are multiples of 25%) ( Dollar Amounts and Decimals )

Percentage Increase/Decrease Worksheets

The worksheets in this section have students determine by what percentage something increases or decreases. Each question includes an original amount and a new amount. Students determine the change from the original to the new amount using a formula: ((new - original)/original) × 100 or another method. It should be straight-forward to determine if there is an increase or a decrease. In the case of a decrease, the percentage change (using the formula) will be negative.

• Percentage Increase/Decrease With Whole Number Percentage Values Percentage Increase/Decrease Whole Numbers with 1% Intervals Percentage Increase/Decrease Whole Numbers with 5% Intervals Percentage Increase/Decrease Whole Numbers with 25% Intervals
• Percentage Increase/Decrease With Decimal Number Percentage Values Percentage Increase/Decrease Decimals with 1% Intervals Percentage Increase/Decrease Decimals with 5% Intervals Percentage Increase/Decrease Decimals with 25% Intervals
• Percentage Increase/Decrease With Whole Dollar Percentage Values Percentage Increase/Decrease Whole Dollar Amounts with 1% Intervals Percentage Increase/Decrease Whole Dollar Amounts with 5% Intervals Percentage Increase/Decrease Whole Dollar Amounts with 25% Intervals
• Percentage Increase/Decrease With Decimal Dollar Percentage Values Percentage Increase/Decrease Decimal Dollar Amounts with 1% Intervals Percentage Increase/Decrease Decimal Dollar Amounts with 5% Intervals Percentage Increase/Decrease Decimal Dollar Amounts with 25% Intervals

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Solving Percent Problems

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Solving Percent Application Problems

Math: basic tutorials : solving percent application problems.

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Once you know the basics of how to solve operations with percent, you can use those methods to solve application problems. This section explains how to find the base, part, and percent in a word problem, and use them to solve the problem.

Example and Activity

What is the sale price of a coat that is normally 95 dollars and is discounted by 20 percent.

Line 1: What are you being asked to find. We are being asked to find the sale price.

Line 2: Choose a variable to represent it. Let s be the sale price.

Line 3: Write a sentence that gives the information to write an equation to find s. If the discount is 20 percent, this means the sale price is 80 percent of the original price.

Line 4: Translate the words into algebra, so the equation is s equals 0 decimal 8 0 times 95.

Line 5: Multiply to solve for s, so s equals 76.

Line 6: Write a statement that answers the question. The sale price of the coat is 76 dollars.

A cupcake contains 480 calories, and 240 of those calories are from fat. What percent of the total calories come from fat?

Line 1: What are you being asked to find? We are being asked to find the percent of the calories that from fat.

Line 2: Choose a variable to represent it. Let p be the percent from fat.

Line 3: Write a sentence that gives the information to find p. What percent of 480 is 240?

Line 4: Translate the words into algebra, so the equation is p time 480 equals 240.

Line 5: Divide both sides of the equation by 480 to solve for p, so the equation is 480p divided by 480 equals 240 divided by 480.

Line 6: Simplify to get p equals 0 decimal 5.

Line 5: Convert the decimal to a percent by multiplying by 100 percent so p = 50 percent.

Line 7: Write a statement that answers the question. Therefore, 50 percent of the calories in the cupcake are from fat.

Source: " Prealgebra - opens in a new window " by Lynn Marecek & Mary Anne Anthony-Smith is licensed under CC BY 4.0 - opens in a new window / A derivative from the original work - opens in a new window

Try this activity to test your skills. If you have trouble, check out the information in the module for help.

Summary and Worksheet

• Summary: Solving Percent Application Problems - PDF - Opens in a new window This document contains a short (1 – 2 page) summary of this topic as well as detailed examples to illustrate key concepts. Use this summary to review this topic.
• Worksheet: Solving Percent Application Problems - PDF - Opens in a new window This document contains practice questions on this topic. Use the worksheet to test your knowledge and practice the skills learned in this module. The answers to the practice questions are provided at the end.
• << Previous: Simple Operations with Percent
• Next: Solving Percent Change Problems >>

Note: This material is meant as a general guide, if your professor's instructions differ from the information we've provided, always follow your professor's instructions. Also note, icons on this site are used through a Noun Project Pro license. Please be sure to provide proper attribution if you reuse them.

• Last Updated: Aug 22, 2023 3:28 PM
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Enter the value(s) for the required question and click the adjacent Go button.

PERCENTAGES

This section will explain how to apply algebra to percentage problems.

In algebra problems, percentages are usually written as decimals.

Example 1. Ethan got 80% of the questions correct on a test, and there were 55 questions. How many did he get right?

The number of questions correct is indicated by:

Ethan got 44 questions correct.

Explanation: % means "per one hundred". So 80% means 80/100 = 0.80.

Example 2. A math teacher, Dr. Pi, computes a student’s grade for the course as follows:

a. Compute Darrel's grade for the course if he has a 91 on the homework, 84 for his test average, and a 98 on the final exam.

Darrel’s grade for the course is an 89.6, or a B+.

b. Suppose Selena has an 89 homework average and a 97 test average. What does Selena have to get on the final exam to get a 90 for the course?

The difference between Part a and Part b is that in Part b we don’t know Selena’s grade on the final exam.

So instead of multiplying 30% times a number, multiply 30% times E. E is the variable that represents what Selena has to get on the final exam to get a 90 for the course.

Because Selena studied all semester, she only has to get a 79 on the final to get a 90 for the course.

Example 3. Sink Hardware store is having a 15% off sale. The sale price of a toilet is $97; find the retail price of the toilet.

a. Complete the table to find an equation relating the sale price to the retail price (the price before the sale).

Vocabulary: Retail price is the original price to the consumer or the price before the sale. Discount is how much the consumer saves, usually a percentage of the retail price. Sale Price is the retail price minus the discount.

b. Simplify the equation.

Explanation: The coefficient of R is one, so the arithmetic for combining like terms is 1 - 0.15 = .85. In other words, the sale price is 85% of the retail price.

c. Solve the equation when the sale price is $97.

The retail price for the toilet was $114.12. (Note: the answer was rounded to the nearest cent.)

The following diagram is meant as a visualization of problem 3.

The large rectangle represents the retail price. The retail price has two components, the sale price and the discount. So Retail Price = Sale Price + Discount If Discount is subtracted from both sides of the equation, a formula for Sale Price is found. Sale Price = Retail Price - Discount

Percentages play an integral role in our everyday lives, including computing discounts, calculating mortgages, savings, investments, and estimating final grades. When working with percentages, remember to write them as decimals, to create tables to derive equations, and to follow the proper procedures to solve equations.

Study Tip: Remember to use descriptive letters to describe the variables.

CHAPTER 1 REVIEW

This unit introduces algebra by examining similar models. You should be able to read a problem and create a table to find an equation that relates two variables. If you are given information about one of the variables, you should be able to use algebra to find the other variable.

Signed Numbers:

Informal Rules:

Adding or subtracting like signs: Add the two numbers and use the common sign.

Adding or subtracting unlike signs: Subtract the two numbers and use the sign of the larger, (more precisely, the sign of the number whose absolute value is largest.)

Multiplying or dividing like signs: The product or quotient of two numbers with like signs is always positive.

Multiplying or dividing unlike signs: The product or quotient of two numbers with unlike signs is always negative.

Order of operations: P lease E xcuse M y D ear A unt S ally 1. Inside P arentheses, (). 2. E xponents. 3. M ultiplication and D ivision (left to right) 4. A ddition and S ubtraction (left to right)

Study Tip: All of these informal rules should be written on note cards.

Introduction to Variables:

Generate a table to find an equation that relates two variables.

Example 6. A car company charges $14.95 plus 35 cents per mile.

Simplifying Algebraic Equations:

Combine like terms:

Solving Equations:

1. Simplify both sides of the equation. 2. Write the equation as a variable term equal to a constant. 3. Divide both sides by the coefficient or multiply by the reciprocal. 4. Three possible outcomes to solving an equation. a. One solution ( a conditional equation ) b. No solution ( a contradiction ) c. Every number is a solution (an identity )

Applications of Linear Equations:

This section summarizes the major skills taught in this chapter.

Example 9. A cell phone company charges $12.50 plus 15 cents per minute after the first six minutes.

a. Create a table to find the equation that relates cost and minutes.

c. If the call costs $23.50, how long were you on the phone?

If the call costs $23.50, then you were on the phone for approximately 79 minutes.

Literal Equations:

A literal equation involves solving an equation for one of two variables.

Percentages:

Write percentages as decimals.

Example 11. An English teacher computes his grades as follows:

Sue has an 87 on the short essays and a 72 on the research paper. If she wants an 80 for the course, what grade does Sue have to get on the final?

Sue has to get a 78.36 in the final exam to get an 80 for the course.

Study Tips:

1. Make sure you have done all of the homework exercises. 2. Practice the review test on the following pages by placing yourself under realistic exam conditions. 3. Find a quiet place and use a timer to simulate the test period. 4. Write your answers in your homework notebook. Make copies of the exam so you may then re-take it for extra practice. 5. Check your answers. 6. There is an additional exam available on the Beginning Algebra web page. 7. DO NOT wait until the night before the exam to study.

Math Topics

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Percents (%)

When we say "percent" we are really saying "per 100".

One percent ( 1% ) means 1 per 100.

Try it Yourself:

Using Percent

Use the slider and try some different numbers (What is 40% of 80? What is 10% of 200? What is 90% of 10?)

Because "Percent" means "per 100" think:

"this should be divided by 100"

So 75% really means 75 100

And 100% is 100 100 , or exactly 1 (100% of any number is just the number, unchanged)

And 200% is 200 100 , or exactly 2 (200% of any number is twice the number)

A Percent can also be expressed as a Decimal or a Fraction

Read more about this at Decimals, Fractions and Percentages .

Some Worked Examples

Example: calculate 25% of 80.

25% = 25 100

And   25 100 × 80 = 20

So 25% of 80 is 20

Example: 15% of 200 apples are bad. How many apples are bad?

15% = 15 100

30 apples are bad

Example: if only 10 of the 200 apples are bad, what percent is that?

As a fraction, 10 200 = 0.05

As a percentage it is: 10 200 x 100 = 5%

5% of those apples are bad

Example: A Skateboard is reduced 25% in price. The old price was $120. Find the new price.

First, find 25% of $120:

And   25 100  × $120 = $30

25% of $120 is $30

So the reduction is $30

Take the reduction from the original price

$120 − $30 = $90

The Price of the Skateboard in the sale is $90

Calculation Trick

This little rule can make some calculations easier:

x% of y = y% of x

Example: 8% of 50

8% of 50 is the same as 50% of 8

And 50% of 8 is 4

So 8% of 50 is also 4

Percent vs Percentage

My Dictionary says "Percentage" is the "result obtained by multiplying a quantity by a percent". So 10 percent of 50 apples is 5 apples: the 5 apples is the percentage .

But in practice people use both words the same way.

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How to use percentage calculator

This calculator solves 8 types of percentage problems.

Type 1: What is x % of y?

Example: What is 40% of 60?

Step1: Change word of to multiplication sign.

40% of 60 = 40% * 60

Step2: Change 40% to decimal number [ 40% = 40/100 = 0.4 ]

40% * 60 = 0.4 * 60 = 24

Type 2: x is what percent of y?

Example: 16 is what percent of 40?

Step1: Translate the words into an equation

Step2: Solve the $ x $

Step3: Express $ x $ as a percentage

Type 3: Percentage increase

Example: Mark’s hourly salary is \$15. What is the percentage increase in the salary if it is raised to \$18.00?

To solve this problem we use formula:

Type 4: Percentage decrease

Example: The workforce at a corporation decreased from 135 to 110 personnel. What is the percentage decrease in the number of employees?

After putting initial amount = 135 and final amount = 110 we have:

Type 5: What percent of X is Y?

Example: What percent of 80 is 25?

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Solving Percentage Word Problems

Percentage word problems involve using mathematical operations to find a certain percentage of a given number. These problems can be solved by using basic math concepts such as fractions and decimals.

A step-by-step guide to Solving Percentage Word Problems

To effectively solve percentage word problems, it is essential to set up equations using the equal sign (=) to express that two mathematical expressions have the same value.

Remember that a percent is a fraction, so to find a specific percentage of a given number, you must multiply the percent (expressed as a decimal) by the number. Additionally, the amount you are trying to find is the percent of the base number. So, \(Percent×Base=Amount\)

Solving Percentage Word Problems – Example 1

A drug store has 30 employees. 70% of the employees work full-time. How many full-time employees does a drugstore have? Solutions: Step 1: Use x instead of the unknown part to find 30% of 65. Step 2: Write a proportion for \(x, \frac{30}{x}=\frac{100}{70}→30×70=100x→2100=100x→2100÷100=x→21=x\) The drugstore has 21 full-time employees.

Solving Percentage Word Problems – Example 2

Kevin bought 15 flowers, and he gave 60% of them to his mother. How many flowers did he give to his mother? Solutions: Step 1: Use x instead of the unknown part to find 15% of 60. Step 2: Write a proportion for \(x, \frac{60}{x}=\frac{100}{15}→60×15=100x→900=100x→900÷100=x→9=x\) He gave 9 flowers to his mother.

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Title: large language models are unconscious of unreasonability in math problems.

Abstract: Large language models (LLMs) demonstrate substantial capabilities in solving math problems. However, they tend to produce hallucinations when given questions containing unreasonable errors. In this paper, we study the behavior of LLMs when faced with unreasonable math problems and further explore their potential to address these problems. First, we construct the Unreasonable Math Problem (UMP) benchmark to examine the error detection ability of LLMs. Experiments show that LLMs are able to detect unreasonable errors, but still fail in generating non-hallucinatory content. In order to improve their ability of error detection and correction, we further design a strategic prompt template called Critical Calculation and Conclusion(CCC). With CCC, LLMs can better self-evaluate and detect unreasonable errors in math questions, making them more reliable and safe in practical application scenarios.

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