ISEE Middle Level Quantitative : How to find percentage

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Middle Level Quantitative

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find Percentage

Using the information given in each question, compare the quantity in Column A to the quantity in Column B.

Jack scores a 40 on his first test and improves his score by 80% on his second test. Jill scores 50 on her first test, and her second test is 130% of her first test.

Column A          Column B     

Jack's 2nd         Jill's 2nd

test score          test score

Possible Answers:

The quantity in Column A is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

The quantity in Column B is greater.

Correct answer:

The quantity in Column A is greater.

Explanation:

Jack improves by 80%, so we multiply his original score by 1.8 (the 1 to represent his earlier score and the .8 to add on his improvement). 40% times 1.8 equals 72%.

Jill's second test is 130% of her first test (that is, a 30% improvement). To find her new score we multiply her first score by 1.3. 50% times 1.3 equals 65%.

Thus, Jack's second test score is higher.

Example Question #2 : How To Find Percentage

\displaystyle M \% of 2,001 is 1

\displaystyle N\% of 1,999 is 1

Which is the greater quantity?

(a) \displaystyle M

(b) \displaystyle N

Possible Answers:

(a) is greater

It is impossible to tell from the information given

(a) and (b) are equal

(b) is greater

Correct answer:

(b) is greater

Explanation:

No calculation is necessary. The whole in (b) is less, so 1 is a greater portion of that whole than the whole in (a). This makes (b) greater.

Example Question #2 : How To Find Percentage

Which is the greater quantity?

(a) \displaystyle 0.2 \% \textrm{ of }2,000

(b) \displaystyle \frac{2}{5}

Possible Answers:

(b) is greater

(a) is greater

(a) and (b) are equal

It is impossible to tell from the information given

Correct answer:

(a) is greater

Explanation:

\displaystyle 0.2 \% \textrm{ of }2,000 can be rewritten as \displaystyle 0.002 \times 2,000

\displaystyle 0.002 \times 2,000= 4 > \frac{2}{5}

Example Question #3 : How To Find Percentage

1,111 is \displaystyle M \% of 999

999 is \displaystyle N \% of 1,111

Which is the greater quantity?

(a) \displaystyle M

(b) \displaystyle N

Possible Answers:

(b) is greater

(a) and (b) are equal

It is impossible to tell from the information given

(a) is greater

Correct answer:

(a) is greater

Explanation:

No calculation is necessary. In (a), the part is greater than the whole, so the percent \displaystyle M must be greater than 100. In (b) The part is less than the whole, so \displaystyle N must be less than 100. Therefore, \displaystyle M > 100 > N

Example Question #5 : How To Find Percentage

There were 48 pieces of fruit brought to the brunch. Twelve of the pieces of fruit were bananas. What percentage of the fruit were bananas?

Possible Answers:

25%

50%

48%

66%

12%

Correct answer:

25%

Explanation:

Percentage involves part over whole. The total number of fruit was 48. The number of bananas was 12. Therefore, you can make a fraction from those numbers: . Then, to find the percentage, divide 12 by 48. This gives you 0.25. To find the percentage, move the decimal point to the right two places. This gives you 25%.

Example Question #6 : How To Find Percentage

70% of 4,000 is equal to what percent of 6,400?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 43 \frac{3}{4} \%

\displaystyle 37 \frac{1}{2} \%

\displaystyle 46 \frac{2}{3} \%

\displaystyle 41 \frac{1}{2} \%

\displaystyle 44 \frac{1}{3} \%

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 43 \frac{3}{4} \%

Explanation:

70% of 4,000 is equal to \displaystyle 4,000 \times 0.70 = 2,800, which is 

\displaystyle \frac{2,800}{6,400} \times 100 percent of 6,400.

Evaluate:

\displaystyle \frac{2,800}{6,400} \times 100 = 0.4375 \times 100 = 43.75 = 43 \frac{3}{4}

The correct response is \displaystyle 43 \frac{3}{4} \%

Example Question #7 : How To Find Percentage

\displaystyle N is a positive number. Which of the following is the greater quantity?

(A) 70% of 40% of \displaystyle N

(B) 40% of 70% of \displaystyle N

Possible Answers:

(A) and (B) are equal

(A) is greater

(B) is greater

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

Correct answer:

(A) and (B) are equal

Explanation:

40% of a number is the number multplied by 0.40; 70% of the number is the number multiplied by 0.70.

40% of \displaystyle N is \displaystyle 0.40 \cdot N; 70% of that is \displaystyle 0.70 \cdot 0.40 \cdot N= 0.28N

70% of \displaystyle N is \displaystyle 0.70 \cdot N; 40% of that is \displaystyle 0.40 \cdot 0.70 \cdot N = 0.28N

Regardless of the value of \displaystyle N, the quantities are equal.

Example Question #8 : How To Find Percentage

\displaystyle N is a positive integer. Which is the greater quantity?

(A) 25% of \displaystyle x+100

(B) 50% of \displaystyle x

Possible Answers:

(B) is greater

(A) is greater

(A) and (B) are equal

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

Correct answer:

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

Explanation:

The greater of the two can be shown to depend on the value of \displaystyle x.

 

Example 1: \displaystyle x = 20

Then 25% of \displaystyle x+100 is equal to 

\displaystyle 0.25 (x+100) = 0.25 (20+100) = 0.25 \cdot 120 = 30

and 50% of \displaystyle x is equal to 

\displaystyle 0.5x = 0.5 \cdot 20 = 10

This makes (A) greater.

 

Example 2: \displaystyle x = 300

Then 25% of \displaystyle x+100 is equal to 

\displaystyle 0.25 (x+100) = 0.25 (300+100) = 0.25 \cdot 400 = 100

and 50% of \displaystyle x is equal to 

\displaystyle 0.5x = 0.5 \cdot 300 = 150

This makes (B) greater.

 

Therefore, insufficient information is given in the problem to determine which is the greater.

Example Question #9 : How To Find Percentage

\displaystyle N is a positive number. Which is greater?

(A) 60% of 40% of \displaystyle N

(B) 50% of 50% of \displaystyle N

Possible Answers:

(B) is greater

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(A) is greater

(A) and (B) are equal

Correct answer:

(B) is greater

Explanation:

40% of \displaystyle N is equal to \displaystyle 0.4N; 60% of that is \displaystyle 0.6 \cdot 0.4N = 0.24N

50% of \displaystyle N is equal to \displaystyle 0.5N; 50% of that is \displaystyle 0.5 \cdot 0.5N = 0.25N

Since \displaystyle N is positive and \displaystyle 0.25 > 0.24

\displaystyle 0.25N > 0.24N,

and (B) is greater.

Example Question #4 : How To Find Percentage

What is 0.5% of 1,000,000?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 5,000

\displaystyle 250

\displaystyle 500,000

\displaystyle 100,000

\displaystyle 250,000

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 5,000

Explanation:

Convert the percentage to a decimal:

\displaystyle 0.5\%=\frac{0.5}{100}=\frac{5}{1000}=0.005

Multiply by 1,000,000 to get our answer.

\displaystyle 0.005 \times 1,000,000 = 5,000

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