7 PERCENTAGES

Percentage is a rate or a proportion expressed as part of one hundred, it can

be expressed as common fractions or as decimals.

Rules 1: Converting fractions to percentages

Example
36
Express 90 as a percentage
36
× 100 = 40%
90

Rules 2: Converting a decimal to a percentage

Example
Express 0.75 as a percentage
0.75 x 100 =75%

Rules 3: Converting a percentage to a fraction

Example
Express 62% as a common fraction
62
62% =
100

62 ÷2
Simplify:
100 ÷2
31
= 50

Rules 4: Converting a percentage to a decimal

Example
Express 72% as a decimal
72
72% = = 0.72
100

Rules 5: Finding a percentage of a quantity

Example
Find 15% of $140
15
= of 140
100
15
= x 140
100
=21

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 1) In a laboratory test on 360 light globes, 16 globes were found to be defective. What
percentage were satisfactory, correct to one decimal place?

2) After three rounds of a competition, a basketball team had scored 300 points and 360 points
had been scored against them. Express the points scored by the team as a percentage of the
points scored against them. Give your answer correct to two decimal places.

3) In a school of 624 students, 125 are in year 10. What percentage of the students are in year 10?
Give your answer to the nearest whole number.

4) Express 75cm as a percentage of 2m

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Rules 6: Percentage increase and decrease
Example
1) There are 10 students in the class and increased
by 20% the next semester. Calculate the total
students in the class at the new semester.

Method 1:
20% of 10
20
= 100 x 10
=2

10+2 = 12

Method 2:
120% of 10
120
= 100 x 10
= 12

Therefore, total of 12 students at the new

semester.

2) There are 10 students in the class and

decreased by 30% the next semester. Calculate
the total students in the class at the new
semester.

Method 1:
30% of 10
30
= 100 x 10
=3

10-3 = 7

Method 2:
130% of 10
130
= 100 x 10
=7

Therefore, total of 7 students at the new

semester.

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Rules 7: Calculating a new price with a percentage discount
Example

If a shop offers a discount of 15% on items in a sale, what would

be the sale price of a pair of jeans originally priced at $95?

Method 1:
15% of 95
15
= x 95
100
= 14.25

95 – 14.25 = 80.75

Method 2:
85% of 95
85
= x 95
100
= 80.75

Therefore, the sale price would be $80.75

Rules 8: Finding a percentage change

𝑐𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
x 100
Example
A university increased its total size at the beginning of an academic year by 3000 students. If the previous
number of students was 35 000, by what percentage, correct to two decimal places, did the student
population increase?

Old: 35 000
New: 35 000 + 3000 = 38 000

𝑐𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
Percentage change = x 100
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛−𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
= x 100
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
38 000−35 000
= x 100
35 000
3000
=35 000 x100
= 8.514…
Therefore, student population increased by 8.57%

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 Question 1. Write each of these percentages as a fraction in its simplest possible form.
a 30%
b 60%
c 90%
d 15%
e 28%

Question 2. Write these fractions as percentages.

3
a 100
3
b 50
3
c 25
3
d 20
3
e 10
3
f5
Question 3. a What fraction of 40 kg is 16 kg ? b Write your answer to part a as a percentage.

Question 4. A student had $40 but spent $32. What percentage of his money has he spent?

Question 5. Find 40% of:

a 20 kg b 35 m c 250ml d 55 people e 75 hours

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 Question 6. Find these quantities.
a 18% of 50 b 64% of 25 c 65% of 80 d 37% of 200

Question 7. Maya has saved $75. This is 30% of what she needs. Explain how you can work out
how much she needs.

(May 2010 Paper 13 Q5)

(May 2010 Paper 11 Q7)

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 (May 2010 Paper 31 Q1)

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 (May 2010 Paper 33 Q1)

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 (May 2010 Paper 32 Q2)

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 (May 2010 Paper 13 Q9)

(Oct 2010 Paper 13 Q10)

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 (Oct 2010 Paper 32 Q1)

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 (Oct 2010 Paper 31 Q5)

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 (Oct 2011 Paper 11 Q7)

(Oct 2011 Paper 13 Q9)

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 (May 2012 Paper 11 Q1)

(May 2012 Paper 13 Q1)

(May 2012 Paper 12 Q18)

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 (Oct 2012 Paper 11 Q4)

(Oct 2012 Paper 12 Q9)

(Oct 2012 Paper 13 Q10)

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