HSPT Math : Percentages

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Percentages

A restaurant is having a sale and lowering their prices by 20%. If an average meal for two normally costs $62.00, what will it costs under the current sale?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Multiply:

Then, subtract that amount from the original price:

Answer: $49.60

Example Question #5 : How To Find The Part From The Whole With Percentage

Candy bought a sweater and a beanie on sale for 20% off. If the sweater cost $ and the beanie cost $, how much did Candy spend?

Possible Answers:

$

$

$

$

$

Correct answer:

$

Explanation:

In order to find how much money Candy spent, we must first figure out the cost of the merchandise before the discount.  We do this by adding the prices together. 

Next we must find 20% of $57.00.

Since 20% is the percentage Candy saved, we must subtract $11.40 from the original price.

So Candy spent $45.60. 

Example Question #12 : Percentages

Donald makes $17.50 an hour at current, and is due for a 5% raise. Also, as a result of an agreement with the union, management has promised a 16% increase in wages across the board for all workers. What will Donald earn per hour after these two increases?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

As a result of a 5% raise, Donald's wages will be 105% of what they were before; the 16% wage hike will make Donald's wages 116% of that. Therefore, Donald will make:

Example Question #71 : Problem Solving

In appreciation for a job well done, Clark is being awarded a bonus equal to 12.5% of the salary he earned over the last two years. His monthly salary over that period has remained constant at $4,500 per month. What is the amount of the bonus?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Over two years, or 24 months, Clark has earned 

His bonus is 12.5% of this, or:

Example Question #13 : Percentages

Jerry buys groceries that cost $43.23 before tax. The tax on groceries in his locality is 5.5%. He hands the cashier a $100 bill. What will he get back in change?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The tax on $43.23 worth of groceries is 5.5% of that, which is 0.055 multiplied by that:

 when rounded to the nearest cent.

Add that to the price:

And subtract that from $100:

, which is the change

Example Question #14 : Percentages

At the store where Harry works, a hat he wants to buy sells for $72.00. He gets an employee discount of 20%, and he wants to hold out for two weeks, when the hat is marked down 15%. How much will he be able to buy the hat for then?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A 20% employee discount means that Harry gets to buy merchandise for 80% of the purchase price. A 15% markdown means that the hat will sell for 85% of its normal price. Therefore, Harry will pay 80% of 85% of $72 for the hat, or:

Example Question #15 : Percentages

A bicycle Carly wants to buy costs $250 in her hometown in Tennessee, where she would pay no sales tax. Just across the border in Kentucky, she can buy the same bicycle for $225 in a store, but the sales tax is 8%. How much would Carly save by buying the bicycle in Kentucky?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In the Kentucky store, Carly would pay $225, plus 8% of that amount, in tax; this is:

She would save 

Example Question #16 : Percentages

$12,000 is deposited into a savings account that draws 6% simple interest per year. If no money is withdrawn during the first five years, how much money is in the account at the end of the fifth year?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can use the simple interest formula , substituting :

The savings account will have .

Example Question #17 : Percentages

To get on the ballot for student body president, a student must turn in a petition with the signatures of 4% of the students. If there are 3,268 students, how many signatures must a student get to be on that ballot? (Round to the nearest whole person.)

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

4% of 3,268 can be calculated by multiplying 3,268 by 0.04, the decimal equivalent of 4%:

Multiply 3,268 by 4, then move the decimal point two places to the right:

,

so

Rounded to the nearest whole number -  131 signatures.

Example Question #18 : Percentages

A sweater costs 100 dollars. It is then discounted 20%. A week later it is discounted another 25%. What is the final price of the sweater?

Possible Answers:

55 dollars

60 dollars

50 dollars

45 dollars

Correct answer:

60 dollars

Explanation:

When the 100 dollar shirt is discounted 20%, it will be discounted 20 dollars, leaving the price at 80 dollars. 

When 80 dollars is then discounted another 25%, that value is equal to another 20 dollars. 

100 dollars less 20 dollars, less another 20 dollars is 60 dollars. 

Thus, 60 dollars is the final price. 

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