Finding

the amount
before a
Percentage
Change
© T Madas
The value of a painting went up by 25% and is now
valued at £400.
What was its value before the increase?

The answer IS NOT £400 less 25%, i.e. £300

WHY?
If you increase £300 by 25% you get £375

Why doesn’t a decrease by 25% get balanced by an

increase of 25%?
How do we solve a problem like this?
© T Madas
The value of a painting went up by 25% and is now
valued at £400.
What was its value before the increase?

Value x 1.25
400
Before

÷ 1.25
£320 400

© T Madas
An item costs £282 after V.A.T at 17.5%.
What is its price before V.A.T?

x 1.175 b ´ 1.175 = 282 Û

b
£282 1.175b = 282 Û
£240 282 Û
b= 1.175
÷ 1.175
b = 240

This formal equation set up

shows why this method works
but it is not strictly required

© T Madas
An item costs £93.50 after a 15% discount.
What did it cost before the discount?

x 0.85 b ´ 0.85 = 93.5 Û

b
£93.50 0.85b = 93.5 Û
£110
b = 93.5
0.85
Û
÷ 0.85
b = 110

© T Madas
Find the number which was increased by 12%
to give 420.

x 1.12 b ´ 1.12 = 420 Û

b
420 1.12b = 420 Û
375 420 Û
b = 1.12
÷ 1.12
b = 375

© T Madas
Find the number which was decreased by 17%
to give 415.

x 0.83 b ´ 0.83 = 415 Û

b
415 0.83b = 415 Û
500 415 Û
b = 0.83
÷ 0.83
b = 500

© T Madas
 Percentage Multiplier Summary
Finding the amount after Finding the amount before
a percentage increase or a percentage increase or
decrease: decrease:
Take the original amount Take the final amount and
and multiply it, by the divide it by the appropriate
appropriate percentage percentage multiplier
multiplier
Find the number that was
Increase 500 by 15% increased by 30% to give 520
500 x 1.15 = 575 520 ÷ 1.3 = 400
Decrease 700 by 11% Find the number that was
decreased by 30% to give 420
700 x 0.89 = 623
420 ÷ 0.7 = 600
© T Madas
Practice
on finding
the amount
before a
Percentage
Change
using a
calculator

© T Madas
Amounts Before Percentage Changes

What number was increased by 10% to give 121? 110

What number was increased by 15% to give 184? 160
What number was increased by 12% to give 252? 225
What number was increased by 27% to give 406.4? 320

What number was decreased by 10% to give 468? 520

What number was decreased by 25% to give 273? 364

What number was decreased by 40% to give 252? 420

What number was decreased by 11% to give 534? 600
© T Madas
Amounts Before Percentage Changes

What number was increased by 12% to give 140? 125

What number was decreased by 12% to give 484? 550
What number was increased by 17.5% to give 282? 240
What number was decreased by 17.5% to give 660? 800

What number was increased by 5.5% to give 147.7? 140

What number was decreased by 5.5% to give 1701? 1800

What number was increased by 1% to give 343.4? 340

What number was decreased by 1% to give 742.5? 750
© T Madas
Amounts Before Percentage Changes

110% of a number is 121. What is the number? 110

115% of a number is 184. What is the number? 160
112% of a number is 252. What is the number? 225
127% of a number is 406.4. What is the number? 320

90% of a number is 468. What is the number? 520

75% of a number is 273. What is the number? 364
60% of a number is 252. What is the number? 420
89% of a number is 534. What is the number? 600
© T Madas
Amounts Before Percentage Changes

112% of a number is 140. What is the number? 125

88% of a number is 484. What is the number? 550
117.5% of a number is 282. What is the number? 240
87.5% of a number is 700. What is the number? 800
105.5% of a number is 147.7. What is the number? 140
94.5% of a number is 1701. What is the number? 1800
101% of a number is 343.4. What is the number? 340
99% of a number is 742.5. What is the number? 750
© T Madas
Test
on finding
the amount
before a
Percentage
Change
using a
calculator

© T Madas
Amounts Before Percentage Changes

What number was increased by 10% to give 121? 110

What number was increased by 15% to give 184? 160
What number was increased by 12% to give 252? 225
What number was increased by 27% to give 406.4? 320

What number was decreased by 10% to give 468? 520

What number was decreased by 25% to give 273? 364

What number was decreased by 40% to give 252? 420

What number was decreased by 11% to give 534? 600
© T Madas
Amounts Before Percentage Changes

What number was increased by 12% to give 140? 125

What number was decreased by 12% to give 484? 550
What number was increased by 17.5% to give 282? 240
What number was decreased by 17.5% to give 660? 800

What number was increased by 5.5% to give 147.7? 140

What number was decreased by 5.5% to give 1701? 1800

What number was increased by 1% to give 343.4? 340

What number was decreased by 1% to give 742.5? 750
© T Madas
Amounts Before Percentage Changes

110% of a number is 121. What is the number? 110

115% of a number is 184. What is the number? 160
112% of a number is 252. What is the number? 225
127% of a number is 406.4. What is the number? 320

90% of a number is 468. What is the number? 520

75% of a number is 273. What is the number? 364
60% of a number is 252. What is the number? 420
89% of a number is 534. What is the number? 600
© T Madas
Amounts Before Percentage Changes

112% of a number is 140. What is the number? 125

88% of a number is 484. What is the number? 550
117.5% of a number is 282. What is the number? 240
87.5% of a number is 700. What is the number? 800
105.5% of a number is 147.7. What is the number? 140
94.5% of a number is 1701. What is the number? 1800
101% of a number is 343.4. What is the number? 340
99% of a number is 742.5. What is the number? 750
© T Madas
© T Madas