Percents

Problems involving percent are common on the test. The word percent means divided by one hundred. 1 When you see the word percent, or the symbol %, remember it means . For example, 100 25 percent 25 1 100 1 4

To convert a decimal into a percent, move the decimal point two places to the right. For example, 0.25 = 25% 0.023 = 2.3% 1.3 = 130% Conversely, to convert a percent into a decimal, move the decimal point two places to the left. For example, 47% = .47 3.4% = .034 175% = 1.75 To convert a fraction into a percent, first change it into a decimal (by dividing the denominator [bottom] into the numerator [top]) and then move the decimal point two places to the right. For example, 7 8 0.875 87. 5%

Conversely, to convert a percent into a fraction, first change it into a decimal and then change the decimal into a fraction. For example, 80% . 80 80 100 4 5

Following are the most common fractional equivalents of percents: 1 33 % 3 1 66 % 3 25% 50% 1 4 1 2 1 3 2 3 20% 40% 60% 80% 1 5 2 5 3 5 4 5

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Percent problems often require you to translate a sentence into a mathematical equation. Example 1: What percent of 25 is 5? (A) 10% (B) 20%

(C) 30%

(D) 35%

(E) 40%

Translate the sentence into a mathematical equation as follows: What percent of 25 is 1 . 25 100 25 x 5 100 1 x 5 4 x = 20

The answer is (B). Example 2: 2 is 10% of what number (A) 10 (B) 12

(C) 20

(D) 24

(E) 32

Translate the sentence into a mathematical equation as follows: 2 is 10 % of what number 1 100 2

10

10 x 100 1 2 x 10 20 = x

The answer is (C). Example 3: What percent of a is 3a ? (A) 100% (B) 150%

(C) 200%

(D) 300%

(E) 350%

Translate the sentence into a mathematical equation as follows: What percent of a is 3a 1 . a = 3a 100 x a 3a 100 x 3 (by canceling the as) 100 x = 300

The answer is (D).

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Example 4:

If there are 15 boys and 25 girls in a class, what percent of the class is boys? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 10% 15% 18% 25% 37.5%

The total number of students in the class is 15 + 25 = 40. Now, translate the main part of the sentence into a mathematical equation: what percent 1 100 of the class is boys

40

15

40 x = 15 100 2 x = 15 5 2x = 75 x = 37.5 The answer is (E). Often you will need to find the percent of increase (or decrease). To find it, calculate the increase (or decrease) and divide it by the original amount: Percent of change: Example 5: Amount of change 100% Original amount

The population of a town was 12,000 in 1980 and 16,000 in 1990. What was the percent increase in the population of the town during this period? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 1 33 % 3 50% 75% 80% 120%

The population increased from 12,000 to 16,000. Hence, the change in population was 4,000. Now, translate the main part of the sentence into a mathematical equation: Percent of change: Amount of change 100% Original amount 4000 100% = 12000 1 100% = (by canceling 4000) 3 1 33 % 3

The answer is (A).

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261

Problem Set Q: Medium 1. Which one of the following must p q equal if 60% of m equals p and 3/5 of m equals q ? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 2. 0 m/11 2m/11 3m/55 6m/55

In January, the value of a stock increased by 25%; and in February, it decreased by 20%. In March, it increased by 50%; and in April, it decreased by 40%. If Jack invested $80 in the stock on January 1 and sold it at the end of April, what was the percentage change in the price of the stock? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 0% 5% 10% 40% 50%

3.

If b equals 10% of a and c equals 20% of b, then which one of the following equals 30% of c ? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 0.0006% of a 0.006% of a 0.06% of a 0.6% of a 6% of a

4.

If 500% of a equals 500b, then a = (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) b/100 b/10 b 10b 100b

5.

If a/2 is 25% of 30 and a is c% of 50, then which one of the following is the value of c ? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 5 10 15 20 30

6.

8 is 4% of a, and 4 is 8% of b. c equals b/a. What is the value of c ? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 1/32 1/4 1 4 32

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7.

The annual exports of the company NeuStar increased by 25% last year. This year, it increased by 20%. If the increase in the exports was 1 million dollars last year, then what is the increase (in million dollars) this year? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 0.75 0.8 1 1.2 1.25

8.

Carlos & Co. generated revenue of $1,250 in 2006. This was 12.5% of its gross revenue. In 2007, the gross revenue grew by $2,500. What is the percentage increase in the revenue in 2007? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 12.5% 20% 25% 50% 66.3%

9.

In an acoustics class, 120 students are male and 100 students are female. 25% of the male students and 20% of the female students are engineering students. 20% of the male engineering students and 25% of the female engineering students passed the final exam. What percentage of engineering students passed the exam? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 5% 10% 16% 22% 25% y y 4 and x 0, then what percentage (to the nearest integer) of x + 3y is x 3y ? 3

10.

If

x x

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Hard 11.

20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Evans sold apples at 125% of what it cost him. What is the percentage of profit made by selling 100 apples? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 0% 20% 25% 33.3% 50%

12.

Williams has x eggs. He sells 12 of them at a profit of 10 percent and the rest of the eggs at a loss of 10 percent. He made neither a profit nor a loss overall. Which one of the following equals x? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 10 12 13 14 24

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13.

The value of a share of stock was $30 on Sunday. The profile of the value in the following week was as follows: The value appreciated by $1.2 on Monday. It appreciated by $3.1 on Tuesday. It depreciated by $4 on Wednesday. It appreciated by $2 on Thursday and it depreciated by $0.2 on Friday. On Friday, the stock market closed for the weekend. By what percentage did the value of the share increase in the five days? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 3.2% 4% 5.6% 7% 10%

14.

The percentage of integers from 1 through 100 whose squares end with the digit 1 is x%, and the percentage of integers from 1 through 200 whose squares end with the digit 1 is y%. Which one of the following is true? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) x=y x = 2y x = 4y y = 2x y = 4x

15.

The cost of painting a wall increases by a fixed percentage each year. In 1970, the cost was $2,000; and in 1979, it was $3,600. What was the cost of painting in 1988? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) $1,111 $2,111 $3,600 $6240 $6480

16.

The list price of a commodity is the price after a 20% discount on the retail price. The festival discount price on the commodity is the price after a 30% discount on the list price. Customers purchase commodities from stores at a festival discount price. What is the effective discount offered by the stores on the commodity on its retail price? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 20% 30% 44% 50% 56%

Very Hard 17. Each year, funds A and B grow by a particular percentage based on the following policy of the investment company: 1) 2) 3) The allowed percentages of growths on the two funds are 20% and 30%. The growth percentages of the two funds are not the same in any year. No fund will have the same percentage growth in any two consecutive years.

Bob invested equal amounts into funds A and B. In the first year, fund B grew by 30%. After 3 years, how many times greater is the value of fund B than the value of the fund A? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 12/13 1 13/12 1.2 1.3

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18.

Selling 12 candies at a price of $10 yields a loss of a%. Selling 12 candies at a price of $12 yields a profit of a%. What is the value of a? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 11/1100 11/100 100/11 10 11

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Answers and Solutions to Problem Set Q Medium 1. 60% of m = (60/100)m = 3m/5 = p. 3/5 of m = 3m/5 = q. So, p = q, and therefore p q = 0. The answer is (A). 2. At the end of January, the value of the stock is $80 + 25%($80) = $80 + $20 = $100. At the end of February, the value of the stock is $100 20%($100) = $100 $20 = $80. At the end of March, the value of the stock is $80 + 50%($80) = $80 + $40 = $120. At the end of April, the value of the stock is $120 40%($120) = $120 $48 = $72. Now, the percentage change in price is change in price original price The answer is (C). 3. b = 10% of a = (10/100)a = 0.1a. c = 20% of b = (20/100)b = 0.2b = (0.2)(0.1a) Now, 30% of c = (30/100)c = 0.3c = (0.3)(0.2)(0.1a) = 0.006a = 0.6%a. The answer is (D). 4. We are given that 500% of a equals 500b. Since 500% of a is the equation by 5 yields a = 100b. The answer is (E). 25 30 15 a 15 30 . Hence, . 100 4 2 2 2 Multiplying this equation by 2 yields a = 15. We are also given that a is c% of 50. Now, c% of 50 is c c 50 . Hence, we have a = c/2. Solving for c yields c = 2a = 2 15 = 30. The answer is (E). 100 2 5. We are given that a/2 is 25% of 30. Now, 25% of 30 is 6. 4% of a is 4a/100. Since this equals 8, we have 4a/100 = 8. Solving for a yields a = 8 Also, 8% of b equals 8b/100, and this equals 4. Hence, we have c = b/a = 50/200 = 1/4. The answer is (B). 7. Let x be the annual exports of the company before last year. It is given that the exports increased by 25 1 25% last year. The increase equals x x . We are given that the increase equaled 1 million dollars. 100 4 1 Hence, x 1 million dollars. Now, the net exports equals x + x/4 = 5x/4. This year, the exports increased 4 20 1 1 by 20%. Hence, (5x / 4) x . Since we know x 1, the increase in exports this year equals 1 100 4 4 million dollars. The answer is (C). 8b 100 100 = 200. 4 500 a 100 5a , we have 5a = 500b. Dividing

80 72 80

8 80

1 10

10%

4 . Solving for b yields b = 50. Now,

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8. We are given that Carlos & Co. generated revenue of $1,250 in 2006 and that this was 12.5% of the gross revenue. Hence, if 1250 is 12.5% of the revenue, then 100% (gross revenue) is (100/12.5)(1250) = 10,000. Hence, the total revenue by end of 2007 is $10,000. In 2006, revenue grew by $2500. This is a growth of (2500/10000) 100 = 25%. The answer is (C). 9. There are 100 female students in the class, and 20% of them are Engineering students. Now, 20% of 100 equals 20/100 100 = 20. Hence, the number of female engineering students in the class is 20. Now, 25% of the female engineering students passed the final exam: 25% of 20 = 25/100 the number of female engineering students who passed is 5. 20 = 5. Hence,

There are 120 male students in the class. And 25% of them are engineering students. Now, 25% of 120 equals 25/100 120 = 1/4 120 = 30. Hence, the number of male engineering students is 30. Now, 20% of the male engineering students passed the final exam: 20% of 30 = 20/100 the number of male engineering students who passed is 6. Hence, the total number of Engineering students who passed is (Female Engineering students who passed) + (Male Engineering students who passed) = 5+6= 11 The total number of Engineering students in the class is (Number of female engineering students) + (Number of male engineering students) = 30 + 20 = 50 Hence, the percentage of engineering students who passed is Total number of engineering students who passed 100 Total number of engineering students 11/50 100 = 22% The answer is (D). 10. Dividing both the numerator and the denominator of the given equation
x 1 y x 1 y 4 3x . Cross-multiplying this equation yields 3 y 4x y

30 = 6. Hence,

x x

y y

4 by y yields 3

4 . Solving for x/y yields x/y = 7.

Now, the percentage of x + 3y the expression x 3y makes is and the denominator of the expression by y yields
x y x y The answer is (E). 3 100 3 7 3 100 7 3

x 3y 100 . Dividing both the numerator x 3y

4 100 10

40%

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Hard
11. Let the cost of each apple to Evans be x. Then the cost of 100 apples is 100x. Since he sold the apples at 125% of the cost [each apple sold at 125% of x, which equals (125/100)x = 5x/4], the profit he made is Selling price Cost = 5x/4 x = x/4 The profit on 100 apples is 100(x/4) = 25x. Hence, percentage of profit equals (Profit/Cost)100 = (25x/100x)100 = 25%. The answer is (C). 12. Let a dollars be the cost of each egg to Williams. Hence, the net cost of the x eggs is ax dollars. Now, the selling price of the eggs when selling at a 10% profit is a(1 + 10/100) = 11a/10. Selling 12 eggs now returns 12(11a/10) dollars. The selling price of the eggs when selling at a 10% loss is a(1 10/100) = 9a/10. Selling the remaining x 12 eggs now returns (x 12)(9a/10) dollars. The net return equals 12(11a/10) + (x 12)(9a/10) = a(0.9x + 2.4). Since overall he made neither a profit nor a loss, the net returns equals the net cost. So, we have a(0.9x + 2.4) = ax. Dividing both sides by a yields 0.9x + 2.4 = x. Multiplying each side by 10 yields 9x + 24 = 10x. Subtracting 9x from both sides yields x = 24. Hence, the answer is (E). 13. The initial price of the share is $30. After the $1.2 appreciation on Monday, its price was 30 + 1.2 = $31.2. After the $3.1 appreciation on Tuesday, its price was 31.2 + 3.1 = $34.3. After the $4 depreciation on Wednesday, its price was 34.3 4 = $30.3. After the $2 appreciation on Thursday, its price was 30.3 + 2 = $32.3. After the $0.2 depreciation on Friday, its price was 32.3 0.2 = $32.1. The percentage increase in the price from the initial price is (32.1 30)/30 100 = 2.1/30 100 = 2.1/3 10 = 21/3 = 7 The answer is (D). 14. The square of an integer ends with the digit 1 only if the integer itself either ends with the digit 1 or with the digit 9. For example, 112 = 121 and 192 = 361. Now, there are ten integers ending with 1 from 1 through 100. The numbers are 1, 11, 21, , 91. Also, there are ten integers ending with 9 from 1 through 100. They are 9, 19, 29, , 99. Hence, the total number of integers from 1 through 100 whose squares end with the digit 1 is 20. The number 20 is 20/100 100 = 20% of 100. Hence, x = 20. Similarly, there are twenty integers (1, 11, 21 191) ending with 1, and twenty integers (9, 19, 29, , 199) ending with 9. Hence, there are 20 + 20 = 40 integers ending with 1 or 9. Now, 40 is 40/200 100 = 20% of the total 200 integers from 1 through 200. So, y also equals 20. Since x = y, the answer is (A). 15. Since the cost of painting increases by a fixed percentage each year and it increased $3,600/$2,000 = 1.8 times in the 9-year period from 1970 to 1979, it must increase by the same number of times in the period 1979 to 1988. Hence, the amount becomes 1.8 $3,600 = $6480 by 1988. The answer is (E).

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16. Let r be the retail price. The list price is the price after a 20% discount on the retail price. Hence, it equals r(1 20/100) = r(1 0.2) = 0.8r. The festival discount price is the price after a 30% discount on the list price. Hence, the festival discount price equals (list price)(1 30/100) = (0.8r)(1 30/100) = (0.8r)(1 0.3) = (0.8r)(0.7) = 0.56r. Hence, the total discount offered is (Original Price Price after discount)/Original Price (r 0.56r)/ r 100 = 0.44 100 = 44%. The answer is (C). 100 =

Very Hard
17. Let the investment in each fund be x. In the first year, fund B was given a growth of 30%. Hence, the increased value of the fund equals (1 + 30/100)x = 1.3x. According to clauses (1) and (2), fund A must have grown by 20% (the other allowed growth percentage clause (1)). Hence, the increased value of the fund equals (1 + 20/100)x = 1.2x. In the second year, according to clauses (1) and (3), the growth percentages of the two funds will swap between the only allowed values 30% and 20% (clause (1)). Hence, fund A grows by 30% and fund B grows by 20%. Hence, the increased value of fund A equals (1 + 30/100)(1.2x) = (1.3)(1.2)x, and the increased value of the fund B equals (1 + 20/100)(1.3x) = (1.2)(1.3)x. Again in the third year, according to clauses (1) and (3), the growth percents will again swap between the only two allowed values 20% and 30% (clause (1)). Hence, fund A grows by 20% and fund B grows by 30%. So, the increased values of the fund A should equal (1 + 20/100)(1.3x)(1.2x) = (1.2)(1.3)(1.2)x and the increased value of the fund B should equal (1 + 30/100)(1.2x)(1.3x) = (1.3)(1.2)(1.3)x. Hence, the value 1.3 1.2 1.3 x 1.3 13 of the fund B is . The answer is (C). 1.2 1.3 1.2 x 1.2 12 18. Let c be the cost of each candy. Then the cost of 12 candies is 12c. We are given that selling 12 candies cost - selling price 100 . Hence, at $10 yields a loss of a%. The formula for the loss percentage is cost 12c 10 a= 100. Let this be equation (1). 12c We are also given that selling 12 candies at $12 yields a profit of a%. The formula for profit percent is selling price - cost 12 12c 100. Hence, we have 100 = a%. Let this be equation (2). cost 12c Equating equations (1) and (2), we have 12 12c 12c 10 100 = 100 12c 12c 12 12c = 12c 10 24c = 22 c = 22/24 From equation (1), we have

by canceling 12c and 100 from both sides

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12c 10 100 12c 22 12 10 24 100 22 12 24 11 10 100 11 100 11

The answer is (C).