Percentages

Percentages can be written as fractions or decimals. To write a percent as a fraction, put the
percent in the numerator and 100 in the denominator, and reduce it if needed. After all,
“percent” means per 100. To write a percent as a decimal, simply move the decimal two spots
to the left. Observe the examples below.

20% = 20/100 = 1/5 = .2

75% = 75/100 = 3/4 = .75

3% = 3/100 = .03

5.8% = 5.8/100 = 58/1000 = 29/500 = .058

370% = 370/100 = 37/10 = 3.7

100% = 100/100 = 1

It is important in percentage problems to remember that the word “of” typically indicates
multiplication (not to be confused with “out of,” which typically indicates division).

1) Find 5% of 80.
.05 • 80 = 4

2) What is 40% of 70?

.4 • 70 = 28

3) What number is 150% of 24?

1.5 • 24 = 36

In problems in which a certain percentage is being added to or subtracted from a number, it is

important to remember that 100% or 1 is the starting point, since taking 100% of a number,
or multiplying a number by 1, does not change its value.

4) What number is 30% greater than 50?

1.3 • 50 = 65
The 1 in the 1.3 represents the initial 50, and the .3 represents the 30%. Of course, you could
also do this problem by finding 30% of 50 by multiplying 50 by .3, then adding this number to
50. However, the method demonstrated above is far more streamlined.

5) What number is 10% more than 180?

1.1 • 180 = 198
6) What number is 20% less than 350?
.8 • 350 = 280
The .8 represents .2 less than 1, since 1 represents the initial 50. Another way of thinking about
it is that 20% less than a number is equal to 80% of the number. Of course, you could also do
this problem by finding 20% of 350 by multiplying 350 by .2, then subtracting this number from
350. However, the method demonstrated above is far more streamlined.

7) What number is produced when 20 is increased by 40%?

20 • 1.4 = 28

8) What number is produced when 90 is decreased by 10%?

90 • .9 = 81

Any time a percentage problem refers to an unknown number, call that number “x” in your
equation. Remember that “is” indicates an equal sign.

9) What number is 15% of 20?

x = .15 • 20 = 3

10) What number is 15% greater than 20?

x = 1.15 • 20 = 23

11) What number is 15% less than 20?

x = .85 •20 = 17

12) 20% of what number is 30?

.2x = 30 x = 30/.2 = 150

13) 30 is 20% greater than what number?

30 = 1.2x x = 30/1.2 = 25

14) 30 is 20% less than what number?

30 = .8x x = 30/.8 x = 37.5

15) A certain number is decreased by 20% and the result is 30. What was that number?
30 = .8x x = 30/.8 x = 37.5.
In this example and the example above (since they are different versions of the same problem),
it is important not to attempt to find the unknown number by adding 20% of 30 to 30. Doing so
would leave you with 36 rather than the correct answer of 37.5. Increasing 30 by 20% of 30
does not have the desired effect because you need to add 20% of the larger unknown number
(which you now know is 37.5) to 30, and 20% of the larger number is greater than 20% of 30.
It is crucial in multi-step percentage problems to do the multiple steps as separate steps
rather than attempting to combine them into one single step.

16) The price of a pair of skis is normally $800. These skis are discounted by 20% and a
customer has a coupon that offers 30% off the sale price. What does the customer pay for the
skis?
$800 • .8 • .7 = $448
Had you incorrectly combined these two discounts into one single discount of 50% instead of
applying them separately, you would have gotten $400, which is not the correct answer. The
reason you cannot combine the separate discounts into one discount is that the second
discount applies to an already discounted price, and 30% of an already discounted price is less
than 30% of the original price.

17) The price of a stock increases by 40% the first year and decreases by 20% the second year.
By what percent did the price of the stock increase over the two year period?
x • 1.4 • .8 = 1.12
1.12 represents an increase of 12% from the original (1), so the price of the stock increased by
12%