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Percentage

In this article, we provide you a short and effective summary for Percentages. We
cover a list of formulas and short-cuts that you can use while solving Percentage
questions.

The following is a list of important formulas for Percentage:

1. Percent implies “for every hundred”.

2. Percentage is denoted by “%”.

Ex: x% is read as ‘x percent’.
𝑥
3. x% of y = xy
100

Ex: ? = 20% of 80
20
Sol: ? = x 80 = 16
100

4. x% of y = y% of x
This concept is very helpful, let see an example.

Ex: ? = 48% of 50
48
Sol: ? = 48% of 50 = 50% of 48 = = 24
2

𝑦
5. What percentage of x is y = 𝑥
× 100
Ex: 30 is what percent of 48?
30
Sol: Answer = × 100= 62.5%
48

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒
6. Percentage change = × 100
𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
Ex: If price of a soap has changed from Rs. 24 to Rs. 30, what is the percent
change in the price of the soap?
30 − 24
Sol: Answer = 24 × 100 = 25%

7. Percentage point change = Difference of two percentage

Ex: If the pass percentage in an exam was 60 % in 2017 and 75% in 2018, then
Percentage point change = Final percentage – Initial percentage = 75% – 60% =
15%

Ex: Passing percentage in an exam of total marks 600 is 60%. The passing
percentage has been increased by 15% point, then new passing percentage

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Sol: Old passing percent = 60% and the new passing percent = 60% + 15% =
75% (Not 60% + 15% of 60% = 60% + 9% = 69%)
𝑦
8. If a number x increases by y%, then the new number = x(1+ 100)
Ex: Monthly salary of Ramesh in 2018 was Rs.56000 and it increases by 20% in
2019, then his monthly salary in 2019 will be
20
Sol: Monthly salary of Ramesh in 2019 = 56000(1+ 100) = Rs.67200.

𝑦
9. If a number x decreases by y%, then the new number = x(1 – )
100
Ex: Monthly salary of Ramesh in 2018 was Rs.56000 and it decreases by 20% in
2019, then his monthly salary in 2019 will be
20
Sol: Monthly salary of Ramesh in 2019 = 56000(1 – 100) = Rs. 44800

10. If the value of an item/number goes up by x%, the percentage reduction

𝑥
to bring it back to the original point = 100 + 𝑥 × 100%.
Ex: Price of a soap is Rs. 40. It is increased by 25%, then by what percent the price
of the soap should be decreased to make the price of the soap Rs. 40.
25
Sol: Required percentage = × 100 = 20%.
100 + 25

11. If the value of an item/number goes down by x%, the percentage

𝑥
increment to bring it back to the original point = × 100%.
100 − 𝑥
Ex: Price of a soap is Rs. 40. It is increased by 25%, then by what percent the price
of the soap should be decreased to make the price of the soap Rs. 40.
25 1
Sol: Required percentage = × 100 = 33 %.
100 – 25 3

𝑥
12. If A is x% more than B, then B is ( × 100)% less than A.
100 + 𝑥
Ex: A is 30% more than B, then B is what percent less than A?
30 1
Sol: Required percentage = × 100 = 23 %.
100 + 30 13

𝑥
13. If A is x% less than B, then B is (100 − 𝑥 × 100)% less than A.
Ex: A is 30% less than B, then B is what percent more than A?
30 6
Sol: Required percentage = × 100 = 42 %.
100 − 30 7

14. If the price of an item goes up by x%, then the quantity consumed
𝑥
should be reduced by (100 + 𝑥 × 100) so that the total expenditure remains the
same.
Ex: Price of sugar increases by 10%, then a housewife should how much decrease
the consumption of sugar, so that her expenditure should not increase?
10 1
Sol: Required percentage = 100 + 10 × 100 = 911%.

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15. If the price of an item goes down by x%, then the quantity consumed
𝑥
should be increased by (100 – 𝑥 × 100) so that the total expenditure remains
the same.
Ex: Price of sugar decreases by 10%, then a housewife how much percent more
sugar can buy, so that her expenditure should not increase?
10 1
Sol: Required percentage = 100 − 10 × 100 = 119%.

16. Successive Percentage Change

If there are successive percentage changes of a% and b%, then the
𝑎𝑏
Effective percentage changes = [a + b + 100]%
Note: Here, if there is percentage increase (in one or both of a and b) then take
positive value and if there is percentage decrease then take negative value.

Ex: Price of an apple has increased twice 10% and then 20%, then what is the
equivalent percentage increase in the price of the apple?
10 × 20
Sol: Equivalent percentage increase = [10 + 20 + ]% = (30 + 2)% = 32%
100

Ex: Price of an apple increased by 10% and then decreased by 20%, then what is
the equivalent percentage change in the price of the apple?
10 × – 20
Sol: Equivalent percentage change = [10 – 20 + ]% = (–10 – 2)%
100
= – 12% (Decreased by 12%)

Ex: Price of an apple decreased twice 10% and then 20%, then what is the
equivalent percentage decrease in the price of the apple?
–10 × – 20
Sol: Equivalent percentage increase = [–10 – 20 + 100 ]% = (–30 + 2)%
= –28% = Decrease of 28%

17. Percentage – Ratio Equivalence: