Percentage:

Properties of 𝟏𝟎𝟎%

1 100
Since the percentage sign means 100 , 100% means 100, Or one whole. The key to solving

some GRE percent problems is to recognize that all the parts add up to one whole: 100%.

Example:

All 1,000 registered voters in Smithtown are Democrats, Republicans, or independents. If

75%If the registered voters are Democrats and 5% are independents, how many are
Republicans?

We calculate that 75% + 5%, or 80%, Of the 1,000 registered voters, they are either
Democrats or independents. The three political affiliations together must account for
100%Of the voters; thus, the percentage of Republicans must be 100% − 80%, or 20%.
Therefore, the number of Republicans must be 20%Of 1,000, which is 20%(1,000), Or
200.

Multiplying or dividing a number by 100%Is just like multiplying or dividing by 1; it

doesn't change the value of the original number.

Converting Percents
To change a fraction to its percent equivalent, multiply by 100%.

Example:

5
What is the percentage equivalent of 8 ?

5 500 1
(100%) = % = 62 %
8 8 2
To convert the decimal fraction to a percent, follow the rules for multiplying by powers of
10. Move the decimal point two places to the right and insert a percent sign.

Example:
What is the percent equivalent of 0.17?

0.17 = 0.17(100%) = 17%

To change a percent to its fractional equivalent, divide by 100%.

Example:

What is the common fraction equivalent of 32% ?

32% 8
32% = =
100% 25

To convert a percent to its decimal equivalent, use the rules for dividing by powers of 10 -
move the decimal point two places to the left.

Example:
What is the decimal equivalent of 32% ?

32% 32
32% = = = 0.32
100% 100

When you divide a percent by another percent, the percent sign "drops out," just as you
would cancel out a common factor.
Example:

100% 100
= = 20
5% 5

Translation:

There are 20 groups of 5% in 100%. But when you divide a percent by a regular number
(not by another percent), the percentage sign remains.
Example:

100%
= 20%
5

Translation: One-fifth of 100% is 20%.

Common Percent Equivalents Familiarity with the following common equivalents will
save you time.

1 1
= 5% = 50%
20 2
1 1 3
=8 % = 60%
12 3 5
1 5 1
= 10% = 62 %
10 8 2
1 1 2 2
= 12 % = 66 %
8 2 3 3
1 2 7
= 16 % = 70%
6 3 10
1 3
= 20% = 75%
5 4
1 4
= 25% = 80%
4 5
3 5 1
= 30% = 83 %
10 6 3
1 1 7 1
= 33 % = 87 %
3 3 8 2
3 1 9
= 37 % = 90%
8 2 10
2 11 2
= 40% = 91 %
5 12 3

Using the Percent Formula to Solve Percent Problems:

You can solve most percent problems by plugging the given data into the percentage
formula:

Part
(100%) = Percent
Whole
Most problems give you two of the three variables and ask for the third.

Example:
Ben spends $30Of his annual gardening budget on seeds. If his total annual gardening
budget is $150, What percentage of his budget does he spend on seed?

This problem specifies the whole. ($150) and the part ($30)and asks for the percentage.
Plugging those numbers into the percent formula gives you this:

30 1
Percent = (100%) = (100%) = 20%
150 5

Ben spends 20%Of his annual gardening budget on seed.

Percent Increase and Decrease:

When the GRE tests percent increase or decrease, use the correct formula:

Increase (100%)
Percent increase =
Original

or

Decrease (100%)
Percent decrease =
Original

To find the increase or decrease, just take the difference between the original and the
new. Note that the "original" is the base from which change occurs. It may or may not be
the first number mentioned in the problem.

Example:
Two years ago, 450 seniors graduated from Inman High School. Last year, 600 seniors
graduated. By what percentage did the number of graduating seniors increase?
The original is the figure from the earlier time (two years ago): 450. The increase is
150 1
600 − 450, Or 150. So, the percentage increase is 450 (100%) = 33 3 %.

Example:
If the price of a dress is $120 and increased by 25%, What is the new selling price?
To find the new whole, you'll first have to find the amount of increase. The original whole
is $120, And the percent increase is 25%. By plugging in, we find that:

Increase
(100%) = 25%
120
Increase 25
=
120 100
Increase 1
=
120 4
120
Increase =
4
Increase = 30

The amount of increase is $30, So the new selling price is $120 + $30, or $150.

Multistep Percent Problems:

On some difficult problems, you'll be asked to find more than one percent or to find a
percent of a percent. Be careful: you can't add percentages of different wholes.

Example:
The price of an antique is reduced by 20%, And then this price is reduced by 10%. If the
antique originally cost $200, What is its final price? In this example, the second
(10%), Price reduction is taken off the first sale price-the new whole, not the original
whole. 10%. Either calculate $160 − (10%($160)) or 90%($160). In either case, the final
price of the antique is $144.

Picking Numbers with Percents working with, you'll find the problem less abstract.
You should almost always pick 100 in percentage problems because it's relatively easy to
find percentages of 100.

Example: price?
(A) 45%
(B) 55%

2
C) 66 3 %

(D) 75%
(E) 82% $20 = $80. by $100 − $60 = $40. Then $40Is what percent of the current price,
$60 ?

40 2 2
(100%) = (100%) = 66 %
60 3 3

Percent Word Problems include those listed below.

Profit $2 2
(100%) = (100%) = 16 %
Original selling price $12 3

Discount $5
Percent discount = (100%) = = 25%
Original price $20

The sale price is the final price after a discount or decrease. In simple interest, the
interest payments received are kept separate from the principal.

Example:
If an investor invests $100At 20% simple annual interest, how much does she have at the
end of three years?

The principal of $100 yields 20% Interest every year. Because 20% of $100 is $20, after
three years the investor will have three years of interest, or $60, plus the principal, for a
total of $160.
In compound interest, the money earned as interest is reinvested. The principal grows
after every interest payment is received.

Example:

If an investor invests $100 at 20% compounded annually, how much does he have at the
end of 3 years?

The first year the investor earns 20% of $100 = $20. So, after one year, he has $100 +
$20 = $120.

In the second year the investor earns 20% of $120 = $24. So, after two years, he has
$120 + $24 = $144.

In the third year the investor earns 20% of $144 = $28.80. So, after three years, he has
$144 + $28.80 = $172.80.
Practice problems:

1- The price of a dress in a retail store is $200. During the End of Year Sale at the
store, the dress can be bought at a 30%Discount. Amanda buys the dress during
the End of Year sale and uses a 12%Off Coupon. How much does Amanda buy
the dress for?

2- The price of fuel in the country 𝑋 fluctuates. The price decreases by 10% between
2014 and 2016 and then increases by 20% between 2017 and 2019. If the price of
fuel in 2019 is $17.28, What was the price of fuel in 2013?
A) $18.66
B) $19.00
C) $15.55
D) $16.00

SALES
Opera
14%
Concerts
25%

Sports
24%

Movies
21%
Plays
16%

3- In 2017, approximately 5,842 people were surveyed about preferred weekend

activities. How many people prefer opera or sports?

4- A study shows that 1.5% of the houses in the city are commercial houses and the
rest are residential houses. If the number of residential houses in the city is
12,000. What is the number of commercial houses in the city? (round off to the
nearest integer)
A) 180
B) 183
C) 60
D) 150
5- Choose the answer below which best expresses the following as a decimal:

97.5%
A) 0.975
B) 0.00975
C) 9.75
D) 0.0975
Key Answers:

1- Level: Medium | Skill/Knowledge: Percentage |Testing Point: Working

with percentage decrease and discount.

Key Explanation: During the End of Year Sale, the price of the dress is 30% off
which means that it is 70% off its original price. 70% of $200 = $140. Amanda
has a further 12% off coupon. This would make the price of the dress to be 88%
of $140 = $123.20.

2- Level: Hard | Skill/Knowledge: Percentages | Testing Point: Using

percentage increase and decrease

Key Explanation: Choice D is correct. The price of fuel in 2013 would be the price
of fuel before the decrease in 2014. The price in 2016 can be found like this:
17.28 $14.40
= $14.40. The price in 2013 would be = $16 which is the price before
1.2 0.9
the decrease or the price in 2013.

Distractor Explanations: Choices A are incorrect. This would be the price in

2019 assuming that $17.28 is the price in 2013. Choice B is incorrect. This would
be the price assuming the overall change in price is a 10% increase and assuming
that $17.28 is the price in 2013. Choice D is incorrect. This would be the price
assuming the overall change in price is a 10% increase and $17.28 is the price in
2019.

3- Level: Easy | Skill/Knowledge: Percentages | Testing Point: Using

percentages to solve problems.
Key Explanation: 2,209 is correct. Find the number of people that prefer opera or
sports by multiplying the total percentage by the total number of people. This
yields (14% + 23%)(5,842) = 37%(5,842) = 0.37(5,842) = 2,162

4- Level: Medium | Skill/Knowledge: Percentages | Testing Point: Using

percentages to calculate a data value.

Key Explanation: Choice B is correct, the percentage of residential houses in the

city is (100 − 1.5)% = 98.5%. 98.5% was represented by 12,000. Therefore, 1.5%
12,000×1.5%
of the houses are 98.5% = 182.7, which when rounded off to the nearest integer
is.

Distractor Explanations: Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of 1.5% of

12,000. Choices C and 𝐃 are incorrect. These options may be due to conceptual or
calculation errors.

5- Level: Medium | Skill/Knowledge: Percentages | Testing points: Changing

percentages to decimals
Key Explanation: Choice A is correct. When converting percents into decimals,
know that the tens and one’s digit of the percent will occupy tenths and hundredths
of the decimal. Any decimal following the whole percentage will follow in sequence
(i.e. the first decimal place in a percentage corresponds to the thousandth place,
and so on). Therefore, ninety-seven-point five percent is equal to: 97.5% → 0.975