ACT Math : Percentage

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #21 : How To Find The Sale Price

Denzel is going to the store to buy a guitar. He sees one he likes that's listed at  but on sale for  off. How much will Denzel pay if he chooses to buy the guitar (ignore sales tax, round to the nearest cent)?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the sales price of an item given that it is  off, first subtract  from . This gives , which means Denzel is paying for  of the guitar's original price. Next, convert that into a decimal and multiply by the guitar's cost:

Example Question #26 : How To Find The Sale Price

Julie only has to spend on a prom dress on tax free weekend.  She has narrowed her search down to her four favorites:  a red dress costing  but marked down  a blue dress costing  marked down , a yellow dress costing  marked down , and a purple dress costing  marked down .  Which dress can Julie buy?  

Possible Answers:

She cannot afford any of the dresses.  

blue dress

purple dress

yellow dress

red dress

Correct answer:

yellow dress

Explanation:

This is a percentages problem.  To find the price of an item on sale by a certain percentage, you subtract that percentage decimal from 1.0, and multiply that number by the cost of the dress. Then, you compare that number to the amount she has to see if she can afford it. 

Red dress price= 

Blue dress price= 

Yellow dress price= 

Purple dress price= 

Since the yellow dress is the only dress under her total amount of money, that is the only dress she can afford.  

Example Question #27 : How To Find The Sale Price

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A pair of headphones normally sells for . If the headphones are on a -off discount, how expensive are they?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the new sale price, apply the discount to the original price in decimal form.

 ---> 

Example Question #21 : How To Find The Sale Price

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A car ordinarily sells for , but a savvy consumer walks out having paid only  of that price. How much did the customer pay?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Applying our equation from above:

 ---> 

So, the customer paid , or  of the original price.

Example Question #29 : How To Find The Sale Price

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

Some clothes are on sale at  off retail. If a customer buys three pairs of jeans for a total of , what was the original price of one pair of jeans?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can apply our formula, but first we should divide the total price by , then fill in what we know:

 ---> 

So, one pair of jeans without discount costs .

Example Question #30 : How To Find The Sale Price

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A pack of batteries is on sale for  of the normal price. If ten packs cost , what is the non-discounted price of one pack of batteries?

Round to the nearest .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can apply our formula, if we remember to first divide by :

 ---> 

Thus, our rounded answer is .

 

Example Question #131 : Percentage

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A video game is normally priced at . If the game is subsequently purchased for , what was the discount, as a percent, on the purchase?

Possible Answers:

There is not enough information to answer the question.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the discount as a percent, simply divide the sale price by the original price, and multiply by  (to convert from a decimal to a percent).

 --> 

Thus, the game was purchased on a  discount.

Example Question #132 : Percentage

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A steak dinner at Steaks 'R Us is normally priced at . The restaurant gives a discount to a preferred customer, and they eat for . What was the discount, as a percent, on the dinner?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the discount as a percent, simply divide the sale price by the original price, and multiply by  (to convert from a decimal to a percent).

 --> 

Thus, the game was purchased on approximately  discount.

Example Question #31 : How To Find The Sale Price

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

Company A sells bicycles normally costing  for . Company B sells bicycles normally costing  for . Which company offers a greater discount, as a percentage?

Possible Answers:

Company B

Company A

Both companies offer the same percentage discount.

There is not enough information to answer the question.

Correct answer:

Company B

Explanation:

Here we are looking to solve our equation for . We need only to solve each equation for , with the bigger  representing the bigger percent discount.

 ---> 

For Company A: 

For Company B:

Thus, Company B offers the greater discount by percentage.

Example Question #1301 : Act Math

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

Maria makes cakes for big events, like weddings and graduations. She sells a cake that costs her  to make for a total of . The customer later purchases another cake identical to the first one, and Maria gives a discount, selling the second cake for only . What percent of Maria's profits did she sacrifice for the customer? 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

It is a mistake to assume that we must calculate the profit percentage of each sale to find the answer to this problem. All we need to do to solve is to compare the ratio of the new sale's absolute amount to the old sale's absolute amount, and we will have our percentage.

So, Maria gave up approximately  of her profits on the second cake.

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