~ 4.12 ~

Finding the Percentage

Learning Targets

  • I can find the percentage increase or decrease when I know the original amount and the new amount.

Notes

To find a 30% increase over 50, we can find 130% of 50.

1.3 ⋅ 50 = 65

To find a 30% decrease from 50, we can find 70% of 50.

0.7 ⋅ 50 = 35


If we know the initial amount and the final amount, we can also find the percent increase or percent decrease. For example, a plant was 12 inches tall and grew to be 15 inches tall. What percent increase is this? Here are two ways to solve this problem:

  • The plant grew 3 inches, because 15 − 12 = 3. We can divide this growth by the original height, 3 ÷ 12 = 0.25. So the height of the plant increased by 25%.

  • The plant's new height is 125% of the original height, because 15 ÷ 12 = 1.25. This means the height increased by 25%, because 125 − 100 = 25.


Here are two ways to solve the problem: A rope was 2.4 meters long. Someone cut it down to 1.9 meters. What percent decrease is this?

  • The rope is now 2.4 − 1.9, or 0.5 meters shorter. We can divide this decrease by the original length, 0.5 ÷ 2.4 = 0.2083333... So the length of the rope decreased by approximately 20.8%.

  • The rope's new length is about 79.2% of the original length, because 1.9÷2.4=0.7916666... The length decreased by approximately 20.8%, because 100 − 79.2 = 20.8.

Activities

12.2 What is the Percentage?

  1. A salesperson sold a car for $18,250 and their commission is $693.50. What percentage of the sale price is their commission?

  2. The bill for a meal was $33.75. The customer left $40.00. What percentage of the bill was the tip?

  3. The original price of a bicycle was $375. Now it is on sale for $295. What percentage of the original price was the markdown?

12.4 Shoes on Sale:

With a coupon, you can get a pair of shoes that normally costs $84 for only $72. What percentage was the discount?


Add to Your Notes

In this lesson, you found the percentage increase or decrease given the original and final amounts.

  • “When the original price and discounted prices are known, how can we find the percent markdown?” (Find the difference and then find the percentage that difference is of the original price.)

  • “When you know the original price of an item and the price you paid at a register, how can you find the tax rate?” (Find the difference and then find the percentage that difference is of the original price.)

Summary

Assignment

Check Google Classroom!