Solving percent word problems involves understanding how percentages relate to a whole and how to use that relationship to find missing values. These problems often involve real-life situations such as discounts, sales tax, population data, or financial calculations. To solve percent word problems, follow these key steps:
A percentage is simply a fraction out of 100. For example, 30% means 30 out of every 100, or 30/100.
Percent word problems can ask you to find the part, the total (whole), or the percentage.
Read the Problem Carefully:
Pay close attention to what is given (part, percent, or total) and what is being asked (part, total, or percent).
For finding a part:
Part=Percent/100×Total
For finding the total (when given the part and percent):
Total=Part×100/Percent
For finding the percent (when given the part and total):
Percent = Part / Total × 100
Convert the percentage into a decimal by dividing by 100 if needed.
Use multiplication or division as per the formula to find the required value.
Ensure your result makes sense in the context of the problem. Double-check calculations and units.
Problem: A store is having a 20% off sale. If an item costs $50, how much is the discount?
Solution:
Identify the total price of the item ($50) and the percent off (20%).
Use the formula to find the discount:
Discount = (20 / 100) × 50 = 10
The discount is $10.
Solving percent word problems helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Whether it's for calculating discounts, sales tax, tips, or finding percentages in various contexts, mastering percent word problems is essential for real-world applications in shopping, finance, and everyday life.
By practicing these steps, you'll be able to confidently solve percent-related word problems and apply them to real situations.
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