BETAThis platform is under active development; bugs, missing features, and risk of data loss are present. Thank you for your support!

Percentages

Learn it by playing

Answer these questions to earn energy, then fish and explore. No account needed.

For teachers: ready-to-use lesson slides, revision notes, diagrams for Percentages (Maths [CIE], Core) — use them in your lesson, or run the topic as a live class game.

Notes

Percentages of Amounts

  • **Percentage** means 'out of 100(e.g.,50%=50100)100' (e.g., 50\% = \frac{50}{100}).
  • To find 50%, **halve** the amount; to find 25%, halve twice; to find 10%, divide by 10; to find 1%, divide by 100.
  • Use these as building blocks: e.g.,20%=10%×e.g., 20\% = 10\% \times 2; 5%=10%÷25\% = 10\% \div 2.
  • With a calculator, use a **multiplier** (decimalequivalent):e.g.,12%=0.12(decimal equivalent): e.g., 12\% = 0.12, so 12% of 650=0.12×650=78650 = 0.12 \times 650 = 78.
  • To express one number as a percentage of another, write as a fraction, convert to decimal, then multiply by 100.

Percentage Increases & Decreases

  • To increase by a percentage, find the percentage and **add** to the original. E.g., increase 30 by 10%: 10% of 30=330 = 3, new=33new = 33.
  • Equivalently, find (100+increase)%(100 + increase)\% of the original using multiplier >1>1. E.g., increase 80 by 15%: multiplier 1.15, new=1.15×80=92new = 1.15 \times 80 = 92.
  • To decrease by a percentage, find the percentage and **subtract** from the original. E.g., decrease 30 by 10%: 10% of 30=330 = 3, new=27new = 27.
  • Equivalently, find (100 – decrease)% of the original using multiplier <1<1. E.g., decrease 80 by 15%: multiplier 0.85, new=0.85×80=68new = 0.85 \times 80 = 68.

Percentage Change

  • Percentage change =(After= (After – Before) / Before ×100\times 100. Positive = increase, negative = decrease.
  • Alternatively, find multiplier m=m = After / Before. m>1m > 1 means increase; m<1m < 1 means decrease.
  • Percentage profit/loss uses cost price and selling price: m=m = Selling Price / Cost Price, or % profit =(SP= (SPCP)/CP×100CP) / CP \times 100.
  • A positive % profit means profit; a negative % profit means loss.

Worked Examples (from source)

  • Shade 35% of a 40-square grid: 10%=4,30%=12,5%=210\% = 4, 30\% = 12, 5\% = 2, total 14 squares shaded.
  • Express $150 deposit as % of $1200: 1501200=0.125=12.5%\frac{150}{1200} = 0.125 = 12.5\%.
  • Increase 200 kg by 21%: multiplier 1.21 → 242 kg.
  • Discount 35% on £500: multiplier 0.65 → £325.
  • Students from 250 to 310: change =(310250)/250×100=24%= (310-250)/250 \times 100 = 24\% increase.
  • Car sold for £5600 from £8000: loss =(56008000)/8000×100=30%(30%loss)= (5600-8000)/8000 \times 100 = -30\% (30\% loss).

Percentage as parts of 100

50%25%10%1%Percentages of a whole (100%)

Percentage increase and decrease multipliers

Multiplier MethodIncrease by 15%: multiplier = 1.15Original × 1.15 = New amountDecrease by 15%: multiplier = 0.85Original × 0.85 = New amountMultiplier > 1 → increaseMultiplier < 1 → decrease

Practice questions

Free preview — 8 of 40 questions. Sign up to see them all.

  1. 1.Write down the fraction of the rectangle that is shaded. (The rectangle has 10 equal squares, 3 shaded.)

    Easy
    Rectangle10 cm1 cm
    • A310\frac{3}{10}
    • B13\frac{1}{3}
    • C37\frac{3}{7}
    • D103\frac{10}{3}
  2. 2.Find the percentage of the rectangle that is not shaded. (The rectangle has 10 equal squares, 3 shaded.)

    Easy
    • A70%
    • B30%
    • C3%
    • D7%
  3. 3.In 2019 the rent for a café was $7275. In 2020 the rent was $7566. Calculate the percentage increase in the rent between 2019 and 2020.

    Medium
    • A4%
    • B3.8%
    • C4.2%
    • D3.6%
  4. 4.There are 480 cabins on a ship. On one cruise, 456 of these cabins were used. Find the percentage of cabins that were used.

    Easy
    • A95%
    • B90%
    • C85%
    • D80%
  5. 5.Last year the cost of a cruise was $4600. This year the cost of the same cruise is $4784. Work out the percentage increase in the cost.

    Medium
    • A4%
    • B3.8%
    • C4.2%
    • D3.6%
  6. 6.A plane ticket costs $680 plus a tax of 16%. Find the total cost of this ticket.

    Easy
    • A$788.80
    • B$696
    • C$789
    • D$108.80
  7. 7.Work out 5% of $25.

    Easy
    • A$1.25
    • B$1.50
    • C$0.50
    • D$2.50
  8. 8.Work out 142 as a percentage of 304.

    Medium
    • A46.7%
    • B46.5%
    • C47%
    • D46.2%

Unlock all 40 questions, slides, flashcards & more

Create a free account to see every question, the slides, flashcards and revision notes for this topic.

Past papers

Past-paper practice for this topic is coming soon.

🗂️ Coming soon