% Solved Type 1

% Solved!

Type #1

·        “rate”

·        “test score”

·        “one number as a percent of another number”.

These questions compare 2 given numbers and you are looking for the percent. ( x 100 )

I have:                  1 number.

     I have:                  A  2^nd  number.

  I need to find:            “The percent that one number "is" of the other number.”

Examples:            a)   24 out of every 60 people drive to work. What percent is this?

               

b)   He got 52 out of 67 on his test. What percent is this?

    

c)   What percentage is 42 out of 68?

Key to Solving:

Step 1: Divide one number by the other number.

Note: The word “of” is the key here. The number associated with the word “of” is what you are “dividing by”.

Step 2: Multiply this answer by 100.

Answers

a)   24 ÷ 60 x 100 = 40%

b)   52 ÷ 67 x 100 = 77.6%

c)   42 ÷ 68 x 100 =  61.8%

 Tricks to look out for.

a) What percentage is 68 out of 42?  

ý  Wrong! 42 ÷ 68 x 100 = 61.8%

þ Right!   68 ÷ 42 x 100 = 161.9%.   

·        Don’t assume you divide the smaller number by the larger number! 68 is larger than 42, so your answer must be more than 100%.

·        The word “of” is associated with 42, so you need to divide by 42, not 68.

b) A vet treats 32 dogs and 25 cats. What percentage of animals treated were cats?

ý Wrong!  25 ÷ 32 x 100 = 78%

þ Right!   25 ÷ 57 x 100 =  43.9%    

Where did the 57 come from?

There are 57 animals in total (“of animals”). Thinking about it, 25 cats is slightly less than 32 dogs, so nearly a 50/50 percent split. 43.9% represents lightly less than half the total, which makes sense. 78% does not make sense in this case.