What is percentage:

The word percent can be understood as follows:

Per cent => for every 100.
So, when percentage is calculated for any value, it means that that you calculate the value for every
100 of the reference value
Why Percentages:
Percentage is a concept evolved so that there can be a uniform platform for comparison of various
things. (Since each value is taken to a common platform of 100.)
Eg: To compare three different students depending on the marks they scored we cannot directly
compare their marks until we know the maximum marks for which they took the test. But by
calculating percentages they can directly be compared with one another.
Basic tips for faster calculations:
Calculation of Percentage:
Percentage = (Value / Total value) X 100
Eg: 50 is what % of 200?
Soln: Percentage = (50/200) X 100 = 25%.
Calculation of Value:
Value = (Percentage/100) X total value
Eg: What is 20% of 200?
Soln: Value = (20/100) X 200
Note: Percentage is denoted by %, which means /100.
Eg: What is the decimal notation for 35%?
Soln: 35% = 35/100 = 0.35.
For faster calculations we can convert the percentages or decimal equivalents into their respective
fraction notations.
Conversions:
Percentages Fractions Conversions:
The following is a table showing the conversions of percentages and decimals into fractions:
Percentage Decimal Fraction
10% 0.1 1/10
12.5% 0.125 1/8
16.66% 0.1666 1/6
20% 0.2 1/5
25% 0.25 1/4
30% 0.3 3/10
33.33% 0.3333 1/3
40% 0.4 2/5
50% 0.5 1/2
60% 0.6 3/5
62.5% 0.625 5/8
66.66% 0.6666 2/3
70% 0.7 7/10
75% 0.75 3/4
80% 0.8 4/5
83.33% 0.8333 5/6
90% 0.9 9/10
100% 1.0 1
We will see how use of fractions will reduce the time for calculations:
Eg: What is 62.5% of 320?
Soln: Value = (5/8) X 320 (since 62.5% = 5/8)
= 200.
Percent change:
A change can be of two types an increase or a decrease.
When a value is changed from initial value to a final value,
% change = (Difference between initial and final value/initial value) X 100
Eg: If 20 changes to 40, what is the % increase?
Soln: % increase = (40-20)/20 X 100 = 100%.
Note:
1. If a value is doubled the percentage increase is 100.
2. If a value is tripled, the percentage change is 200 and so
on.


3. Percentage Difference:
% Difference = (Difference between values/value compared with) X 100.
Eg: By what percent is 40 more than 30?
Soln: % difference = (40-30)/30 X 100 = 33.33%
(Here 40 is compared with 30. So 30 is taken as denominator)
Eg: By what % is 60 more than 30?
Soln: % difference = (60-30)/30 X 100 = 100%.
(Here is 60 is compared with 30.)
Hint: To calculate percentage difference the value that occurs after the word than in the
question can directly be used as the denominator in the formula.


Important Points to Note:
1. When any value increases by
1. 10%, it becomes 1.1 times of itself. (since 100+10 = 110% = 1.1)
2. 20%, it becomes 1.2 times of itself.
3. 36%, it becomes 1.36 times of itself.
4. 4%, it becomes 1.04 times of itself.
Thus we can see the effects on the values due to various percentage increases.
2. When any value decreases by
1. 10%, it becomes 0.9 times of itself. (Since 100-10 = 90% = 0.9)
2. 20%, it becomes 0.8 times of itself
3. 36%, it becomes 0.64 times of itself
4. 4%, it becomes 0.96 times of itself.
Thus we can see the effects on a value due to various percentage decreases.
Note:
1. When a value is multiplied by a decimal more than 1 it will be increased and when multiplied
by less than 1 it will be decreased.
2. The percentage increase or decrease depends on the decimal multiplied.
Eg: 0.7 => 30% decrease, 0.67 => 33% decrease, 0. 956 => 4.4% decrease and so on.
Eg: When the actual value is x, find the value when it is 30% decreased.
Soln: 30% decrease => 0.7 x.
Eg: A value after an increase of 20% became 600. What is the value?
Soln: 1.2x = 600 (since 20% increase)
x = 500.
Eg: If 600 is decrease by 20%, what is the new value?
Soln: new value = 0.8 X 600 = 480. (Since 20% decrease)
Thus depending on the decimal we can decide the % change and vice versa.
Eg: When a value is increased by 20%, by what percent should it be reduced to get the actual
value?
Soln: (It is equivalent to 1.2 reduced to 1 and we can use % decrease formula)
% decrease = (1.2 1)/1.2 X 100 = 16.66%.
3. When a value is subjected multiple changes, the overall effect of all the changes can be
obtained by multiplying all the individual factors of the changes.
Eg: The population of a town increased by 10%, 20% and then decreased by 30%. The new
population is what % of the original?
Soln: The overall effect = 1.1 X 1.2 X 0.7 (Since 10%, 20% increase and 30% decrease)
= 0.924 = 92.4%.
Eg: Two successive discounts of 10% and 20% are equal to a single discount of ___
Soln: Discount is same as decrease of price.
So, decrease = 0.9 X 0.8 = 0.72 => 28% decrease (Since only 72% is remaining)
Percentages problems with solutions:
Exercise:
1. If 20% of 40% of a = 25% of a% of b, then what is b?
a. 8/5 b. 16/25 c. 8/25 d. None
2. By what % is 200 more than 50?
a. 100 b. 200 c. 300 d. None
3. A value changes from 30 to 80. What is the percentage change?
a. 125 b. 166.66 c. 156 d. None
4. The population of a city is increased by 30% and thus became 78000. What is the original
population?
a. 76000 b. 64200 c. 60000 d. None
5. In a theatre, the number of seats is increased by 20% and the price per ticket is increased
by 10% but the public response decreased by 30%. What is the net effect on the economy of
the theatre?
a.10% rise b. 7% fall c. 7% rise d. None
6. A saves 20% of his income. His income is increased by 20% and so he increased his
expenditure by 30%. What is the percentage change in his savings?
a. 20% fall b. 4% fall c. 20% rise d. 4% rise
7. The price of petrol is increased by 25%. By what percent the consumption be reduced to
make the expenditure remain the same?
a. 25% b. 33.33% c. 20% d. None
8. The side of a square is increased by 20%. The percentage change in its area is ___
a. 20% b. 44% c. 36% d. None
9. If the length of a rectangle is increased by 33.33%, by what percentage should the breadth
be reduced to make the area same?
a. 20% b. 33.33% c. 25% d. None
10. In an election between two candidates, A and B, A secured 56% of the votes and won by
48000 votes. Find the total number of votes polled if 20% of the votes were declared invalid.
a. 500000 b. 400000 c. 600000 d. None
11. A reduction of 10% in price of sugar enables a housewife to buy 5 kg more for Rs. 300/-.
Find the reduced price per kg of sugar.
a. 5/- b. 4.5/- c. 6/- d. None
12. From a 20lt solution of salt and water with 20% salt, 2lt of water is evaporated. Find the
new % concentration of salt.
a. 20% b. 23% c. 25% d. None
13. In a list of weights of candidates appearing for police selections, the weight of A is marked
as 58 kg instead of 46.4 kg. Find the percentage of correction required.
a. 30 b. 20 c. 24 d. None
14. A person spends 20% of his income on rent, 20% of the rest on food, 10% of the remaining
on clothes and 10% on groceries. If he is left with Rs. 9520/- find his income.
a. 10000/- b. 15000/- c. 20000/- d. None
15. A shopkeeper offers three successive discounts of 10%, 20% and 30% to a customer. If
the actual price of the item is Rs. 10000, find the price the custome has to pay to the
shopkeeper.
a. 5040/- b. 4000/- c. 6000/- d. None
16. If 10lt solution of water and alcohol containing 10% alcohol is to be made 20% alcohol
solution, find the volume of alcohol to be added.
a. 1 lt b. 1.25 lt c. 1.5 lt d. 2 lt
17. A is twice B and B is 200% more than C. By what percent is A more than C?
a. 400 b. 600 c. 500 d. 200
18. In an examination, a student secures 40% and fails by 10 marks. If he scored 50%, he
would pass by 15 marks. Find the minimum marks required to pass the exam.
a. 250 b. 100 c. 110 d. 125
19. If A is 20% taller than B, by what percent is B shorter than A?
a. 20% b. 25% c. 16.66% d. None
20. The population of a town increases at a rate of 10% for every year. If the present
population is 12100, find the population two years ago.
a. 11000 b. 9800 c. 10000 d. 10120
21. A solution of salt and water contains 15% salt. If 30 lt water is evaporated from the solution
the concentration becomes 20% salt. Find the original volume of the liquid before water
evaporated.
a. 100 lt b. 120 lt c. 200 lt d. None
22. If 240 lt of oil is poured into a tank, it is still 20% empty. How much more oil is to be poured
to fill the tank?
a. 300 lt b. 60 lt c. 120 lt d. None
23. A and B were hired for the same salary. A got two 40% hikes whereas B got a 90% hike.
What is the percentage difference in the hikes thay got?
a. 16% b. 6% c. 10% d. 8%
24. The population of a town doubled every 5 years from 1960 to 1975. What is the percentage
increase in population in this period?
a. 800 b. 400 c. 700 d. 600
25. In a test of 80 questions, Jyothsna answered 75% of the first 60 questions correctly. What
% of the remaining questions she has to answer correctly so that she can secure an overall
percentage of 80 in the test?
a. 80% b. 90% c. 85% D. 95%




Solutions:
1. 1/5 X 2/5 X a = X a X b => b = 8/25
2. % difference = (200-50)/50 X 100 = 300 %
3. % increase = (80-30)/30 X 100 = 166.66 %
4. 1.3 x = 78000 => x = 60000.
5. Net effect = 1.2 X 1.1 X 0.7
= 0.924 => 7.6% decrease.
6. Let I be the income.
Expenditure = 0.8I Savings = 0.2I => 20%
New income = 1.2I (since 20% rise)
New expenditure = (0.8I) X 1.3 (Since 30% rise)
= 1.04I
So, new savings = 1.2I 1.04I = 0.16I => 16%
(So income decreased form 20% to 16%)
% decrease = (20-16)/20 X 100 = 20%.
7. It is equivalent to 1.25 decreased to 1.
% decrease = (1.25-1)/1.25 X 100 = 20%
8. % change in area = 1.2 X 1.2 (since area = side X side)
= 1.44 => 44%.
8. It is equivalent to 1.25 decreased to 1. So 20% decrease.
9. Valid Votes:
A got 56% => B got 44%
Difference = 12% = 48000
So, 100% = 400000. These are valid votes.
But valid votes are only 80% of total votes.
So, 80% of total votes = 400000 => total votes = 500000
10. Total money = Rs. 300.
Saving of the lady = 10% of 300 = 30/-
With 30/- she bought 5 kg sugar => each kg costs Rs. 6/-
11. In 20lt, salt = 20% => 4 lt.
New volume = 18 lt (2 lt evaporated)
So, new % = 4/18 X 100 = 22.22%
12. % correction = (58-46.4)/58 X 100 = 20%
13. Three successive decreases of 20%, 20% and 10% => 0.8 X 0.8 X 0.9 = 0.576
Again 10% decrease => 0.576 0.1 = 0.476.
So, 0.476 x = 9520 => x = 20000.
14. Total discount = 0.9 X 0.8 X 0.7 = 0.504 of actual price.
So, price = 0.504 X 10000 = 5040.
15. In 10 lt, alcohol is 10% = 1 lt.
Let x lt alcohol is added.
So, (1+x)/(10+x) = 20% = 1/5 => x = 1.25 lt.
16. A = 2B and B = 3C (ince 200% more)
A = 6C => 500 % more.
17. 50% of max marks 40% of max marks = 25
max marks = 250
Pass marks = 40% of max + 10 => 100 + 10 = 110.
18. A = 1.2 B => B = A/1.2 => 0.8333A => 16.66%.
(OR) Decrease from 1.2 to 1 => 16.66%.
19. 1.1 X 1.1 X x = 12100 => x = 10000.
20. Salt = 15% of x = 0.15x (x = volume of solution)
Now, 0.15x/(x-30) = 20% = 1/5 (since 30 lt evaporated)
x = 120 lt
21. 20% empty => 80 % full = 240 lt => 20% = 60 lt
22. A => 1.4 X 1.4 = 1.96
B => 1.9 => 6% difference.
24. From 1960 to 1975, in 15 years population doubled every 5 yrs => three times
So, 2 X 2 X 2 = 8 times => 700% more.
23. [(75% X 60) + (x% X 20)] / 80 = 80% => x = 95. (since required is 80%)
(OR) 60 out of 80 is 3/4. So, (3/4 X 75) + (1/4 X x) = 80 => x =95.