FACE Introduction

PERCENTAGES

Placement Cracker QA-3

Concept of multiplication factor

Whenever there is any percentage increase or decrease in a quantity, instead of calculating the actual increase/decrease and then adding to/ subtracting from the original quantity, we can directly compute the new quantity by using the concept of multiplication factor. For every percentage increase or decrease, a number called multiplication factor can be calculated, which when multiplied with the original quantity will give the increased quantity.

Percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100 (per cent meaning per hundred). It is often denoted using the percent sign, %. This concept is pretty useful for comparison of fractions, as all the fractions are indexed to 100 when converted to percentages. Any percentage can be expressed as a fraction or a decimal fraction and vice versa. For example, fractions such as 3/5 can be written as 0.6 or 60% and vice versa. Percentages are meaningless unless information about the base over which it is calculated is known.

For percentage increase of i, multiplication factor is [ 1 + (i/100) ] For example, if the number of goals scored by Brazil

Actual value Percentage value = x 100 Base Percentage increase/decrease

Percentage increase or decrease of a quantity is defined as the ratio of the actual (absolute) increase/ decrease to the original quantity expressed in percentage terms. Percentage change = [Actual Change/Original Quantity] 100

Football team in 2002 FIFA World Cup is 20 and it is increased by 20% in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, then the number of goals scored by the team in 2006 World Cup can be calculated in 2 ways. Multiplication factor = 1+

i 20 = 1+ = 1.2 100 100

Hence, the new quantity will be the product of 20 and Percentage increase / decrease = 1.2, which is equal to 24. For percentage decrease of d, multiplication factor is [1 (d/100) ] For example, If the price of a notebook was Rs. 20 last year and Rs.25 this year, the percentage increase in the price from last year can be computed as follows: For example, if the number of goals scored by Brazil Football team in 2002 FIFA World Cup is 25 and it is decreased by 20% in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, then the Percentage increase = [5/20] 100 = 25% number of goals scored by the team in 2006 World Cup can be calculated in 2 ways. Page 1 of 10

Actual increase/decrease x 100 Original Quantity

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

FACE

PERCENTAGES

Placement Cracker QA-3

With the information available, we cannot calculate the Multiplication factor = 1-

d 20 = 1= 0.8 100 100

percentage increase/ decrease in the number of runs scored by Sachin. We can only say that the number of runs scored by Sachin has increased by 10 percentage points.

Hence, the new quantity will be the product of 25 and 0.8, which is equal to 20. To generalize, let the number be X and it is increased or decreased by p% and the new value is Y. Given X and p, Y can be computed using the formula:

Points to remember:
1. To convert any fraction (a/b) to percent, multiply it by 100. For example, = x 100% = 50% 2. To convert a percent to fraction, divide it by 100. For example, 8% = 8/100. 3. Percentage of a number is the product of equivalent fraction and the number. For example, 25% of 500 = (25/100) x 500 = 125. 4. Converting a percentage into decimal: a. 8% may be converted as 0.08 b. 3.5% may be converted as 0.035 c. % = 0.25% may be converted as 0.0025. 5. Converting a decimal into percentage: a. 0.45 may be expressed as 45% b. 0.022 may be expressed as 2.2% c. 1.3 may be expressed as 130% 6. Percentage increase/decrease a. If any number is increased by i%, then New number = original number [1 + (i/100)] b. If any number is decreased by d%, then New number = original number [1 (d/100)] 7. If the price of a commodity increases by a%, then the reduction in consumption so as not to increase expenditure is [a/(100 + a)] x 100 % 8. If the price of a commodity decreases by a%, then the increase in consumption so as not to decrease expenditure is [a/(100 - a)] x 100 %

100 p Y=X x 100

Given Y and p, X can be computed using the formula:

100 X =Y x 100 p Successive increase/ Successive decrease

If there are successive increases of p%, q% and r% to a value, the effective multiplication factor is

100 + p 100 + q 100 + r 100 100 100

If one or more of p, q and r are decrease percentages, then those figures will be taken as negative to arrive at the effective multiplication factor.

Percentage points
The term Percentage points denotes the difference in two percentage figures. Suppose that Sachin scored 40% of the teams runs in 2004 and scored 50% of the teams runs in 2005. If we are asked to calculate the percentage increase in the runs scored, calculating it as (50 40)/40 100 and saying it is 25% increase is not correct.

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

Page 2 of 10

FACE

PERCENTAGES

Placement Cracker QA-3

9. If A is R% more than B, then B is less than A by [R/(100+R)] x 100 % 10. If A is R% less than B, then B is more than A by [(R/(100 - R)] x 100 % 11. If the population of a town is P now and suppose it increases at the rate of R% per annum, then a. Population after n years = P(1+R/100)n. b. Population n years ago = P/(1+R/100)n 12. Depreciation: Let the present value of a machine be P. Suppose it depreciates at the rate of R% per annum, then a. Value of the machine after n years = P [1 - (R/100)]n b. Value of the machine n years ago = P/[1 - (R/100)]n

2. If the value of each item in the group is decreased by a value a, then the average of the group will also decrease by a. This also holds good for division and multiplication. 3. When a person leaves a group and another person joins the group in the place of person who left, then a. In the case of increase in average age, age of newcomer = age of the person left + Number of persons in the group x increase in average age. b. In the case of decrease in average age, age of newcomer = age of the person left - Number of persons in the group x decrease in average age. 4. When a person joins the group without replacing any person from that group, then a. In the case of increase in average age, age of newcomer = previous average age + Number of persons in the group x increase in average age. b. In the case of decrease in average age, age of newcomer = previous average age Number of persons in the group x decrease in average age. 5. When a person leaves a group but nobody joins the group, then a. In the case of increase in average age, age of person who left = previous average age + Number of persons present in the group x increase in average age. b. In the case of decrease in average age, age of man who left = previous average age ` Number of persons present in the group x decrease in average age.

AVERAGES
Average is a way of representing an entire group by a single value. If there are 50 students in a class, instead of talking about the height of each individual student, we can talk of average height of class. The average height of the class of students is equal to the sum of the heights of all the students of the class divided by number of students in the class. Average is otherwise termed as mean. Problems on averages are generally based on age, attributes like height & weight, score and also speed and distance.

Points to remember
1. If the value of each item in the group is increased by a value a, then the average of the group will also increase by a.

Averages and distances

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

Page 3 of 10

FACE

PERCENTAGES

Placement Cracker QA-3

1. Average speed = Total distance travelled/Time taken 2. If equal distances are travelled at the rate of x kmph and y kmph, then the average speed during the whole journey is given by (2xy / x + y) kmph 3. To convert from kmph to m/s multiply by (5/18) and to convert from m/s to kmph multiply by (18/5).

If two quantities P and q are related in such a way that any increase or decrease in p produces a proportionate change in q, then the two quantities are said to be in direct variation. It is represented as p q and is read as p is directly proportional to q or p = k q. Here k is a constant whose value for a particular variation is same. Consider P1 = kq1 and p2 = kq2, dividing the two we get

RATIO, PROPORTION & VARIATIONS

Comparison of two numbers or quantities having the same units is known as a Ratio. The ratio of X to Y is written as X : Y = X/Y

P1/P2 = q1/q2. Thus, in the cases of direct variations, the ratio of the two quantities remains the same.

Inverse variations
Here p and q hold such a relation that any increase in the value of p will have proportionate decrease in the value of q and vice-versa. Inverse variation is represented as p a constant. Consider P1 = k /q1 and p2 = k/q2. On solving we get p1q1 = p2q2. Thus, in the cases of inverse variations, the product of two quantities remains the same. Results on variations: a. If A B and B C, then A C. b. If A B and B C, the A (B + C) and (B C) 1/q and is read as

PROPORTION
A statement expressing the equality of two ratios is called a proportion. If a : b = c : d or a/b = c/d, then a, b, c & d are said to be in proportion, where a and d are called the extremes and b and c are called the means. Also d is called the fourth proportional to a, b and c. For example, 7 : 9 = 28 : 36 is a proportion. Each quantity in a proportion is called a term. The first and the last terms are known as the extremes while the second and the third term are called the means. For the four quantities to be in proportion, product of means = product of extremes i.e. ad = bc.

p is inversely proportional to q. So, p = k (1/q), where k is

Continued proportion
Three quantities x, y and z are said to be in continued proportion if x : y = y : z i.e. y = xz. Here y is also known as the mean proportional of x and z. x, y and z are known as the first, second and the third proportions respectively.
2

MIXTURES
These types of questions are very important and involve the theory of ratio proportion, percentages, profit and loss. Generally questions on mixtures are based on either simple mixtures or compound mixtures. Simple mixtures involve mixing of only two items, while compound mixtures may involve more than two items.

Direct variations

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

Page 4 of 10

FACE

PERCENTAGES

Placement Cracker QA-3

Alligation helps us to find the mean or average values of mixtures, when the prices of two or more ingredients, which may be mixed together, and the proportion in which they are mixed are given; find the proportion in which the ingredients at given prices must be mixed to produce a mixture at a given price. When products at two different prices are mixed in a certain ratio, then our aim is to find the price of the final mixture. Quantity of cheaper product/Quantity of dearer product = (Dearer Price Mean Price) / (Mean Price Cheaper Price) Sometimes knowledge about profit and loss is also needed to solve questions. If a vessel contains x litres of milk and if y litres be withdrawn and replaced by water, then if y litres of mixture is with drawn and replaced by water and the operation is repeated n times in all, then milk left in the vessel after nth operation / Initial quantity of milk in the vessel = [ x y / x ]n

3. Divide 1458 into two parts such that the two parts are in the ratio 2 : 7 (a) 324, 1134 (c) 486, 972 (b) 1296, 162 (d) 810, 648

4. 1040 litres of milk is divided in two parts having ratio x : 21. If the first part is 200 litres, find x. (a) 5 (c) 10 (b) 4 (d) 8

5. Two numbers are in ratio 7 : 9. If 12 is subtracted from each of them, the ratio becomes 3 : 5. What is the product of the numbers? (a) 567 (c) 657 (b) 343 (d) 546

6. What must be added to each term of the ratio 7 : 13 so that the ratio becomes 2 : 3? (a) 5 (c) 4 (b) 6 (d) 7

7. A bag contains Rs. 102 in the form of 1 rupee, 50 paise and 10 paise coins in the ratio 3 : 4 : 10. What is the number of 10 paise coins? (a) 170 (c) 140 (b) 175 (d) 165

PRACTICE EXCERCISE
1. In a ratio that is equal to 5 : 8, if the antecedent is 40, then find the consequent. (a) 64 (c) 25 (b) 50 (d) 32

8. The ratio of the fathers age to sons age is 4 : 1. The product of their ages is 196. What will be the ratio of their ages after 5 years? (a) 9 : 4 (c) 11: 5 (b) 11 : 4 (d) 10 : 3

2. If a : b = 8 : 15, b : c = 5 : 8 and c : d = 4 : 5, then find a : d. (a) 8 : 5 (c) 15 : 4 (b) 5 : 8 (d) 4 : 15

9. The incomes of A and B are in the ratio 3 : 2 and their expenditures in the ratio 5 : 3. If each saves Rs. 1000, then what is As income? (a) 6000 (b) 5000

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

Page 5 of 10

FACE
(c) 4500 (d) 4000

PERCENTAGES
(c) 5

Placement Cracker QA-3

(d) 9

10. A man went to the market to buy fruits. He bought apples, mangoes and dates. The ratio of the weight of apples to that of mangoes bought is same as the ratio of the weight of mangoes to that of dates bought. If he bought 7.2 kg of apples and 5 kg of dates, find the weight of mangoes bought. (a) 6 (c) 5 (b) 3 (d) 4

16. In what proportion must sugar costing Rs. 14 per kg and Rs. 17 per kg be mixed so that 20% profit is earned by selling the mixture at Rs. 18 per kg? (a) 3 : 1 (c) 2 : 1 (b) 2 : 3 (d) 3 : 4

11. A boy 1.4 m tall casts a shadow 1.2 m long at the time when a building casts a shadow 5.4m long. What is the height of the building? (a) 6.3 (c) 6 (b) 6.8 (d) 7

17. In two alloys, the ratio of zinc to tin are 3 : 2 and 2 : 3. If 7 kg of the first alloy and 21 kg of the second alloy are mixed together to form a new alloy, then what will be the ratio of zinc and tin in the new alloy? (a) 9 : 10 (c) 9 : 8 (b) 9 : 11 (d) 8 : 11

12. If S varies directly as R varies and T varies inversely as R varies. When R = 20, S = 40 and T = 10. If R is changed to 10, then what will be the value of T? (a) 20 (c) 18 (b) 24 (d) 22

18. 10 gallons are drawn from a vessel full of wine. It is then filled with water 10 gallons of mixture are again drawn and vessel is again filled with water. The quantity of wine now left in the vessel to that of water bears a ratio of 49 : 32. How much does the vessel hold? (a) 25 (c) 35 (b) 30 (d) 45

13. Two balls have their radii in the ratio 1 : 3. What is the ratio of their volumes? (a) 1 : 27 (c) 2 : 27 (b) 1 : 18 (d) 1 : 24

19. In an examination, a student scores 4 marks for every correct answer and loses 1 mark for every wrong answer. A student attempts all the 100 questions and scores 210 marks. What is the number of questions that he answered correctly? (a) 60 (c) 50 (b) 58 (d) 62

14. In what proportion must a grocer mix one kind of tea at Rs. 45 per kg with another at Rs. 40 per kg so that the final mixture costs him Rs. 41.50 per kg? (a) 3 : 7 (c) 2 : 9 (b) 3 : 5 (d) 2 : 7

15. How many kg of tea selling at Rs. 10.40 per kg should be mixed with tea selling at Rs. 8.80 per kg to obtain a mixture of 15 kg at Rs. 146.40? (a) 4 (b) 6

20. The average weight of 25 students in class 8 of a school is 42 kg. Two new students, each of whom weighed 52 kg and 68 kg respectively were admitted in the class. Find the new average weight of the students in the class. (a) 43 (c) 41 (b) 42 (d) 44 Page 6 of 10

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

FACE

PERCENTAGES
(c) 26.5

Placement Cracker QA-3

(d) 28.5

21. The average weight of 10 men is increased by 1.5 kg, when one of them who weighs 68 kg is replaced by a new man. Find the weight of the new man. (a) 80 (c) 83 (b) 78 (d) 79

27. A batsman in his 14th innings makes a score of 73 runs and thereby increases his average by 3. What is his average after the 14th inning? (a) 33 (c) 43 (b) 34 (d) None of these

22. The average weight of 25 students in class 8th of a school is 42 kg. Later it was realized that the teacher had wrongly calibrated the weight of one of the students to be 52 kg as against the 77 kg of the original weight. What will be the new average? (a) 34 (c) 43 (b) 72 (d) 45

28. The average of three whole numbers is 36. The smallest number is (1/3)rd of the largest number. The middle number is twice the smallest number. Find the middle number. (a) 30 (c) 36 (b) 29 (d) None of these

23. The average of 14 results is 29. The average of the first 6 results is 24 and that of the next 7 is 32. What is the last result? (a) 45 (c) 32 (b) 38 (d) 40

29. Number B is 70 more than twice the number A. Number C is 10 more than twice the number B. If the average of A, B and C is 120, what is the value of C? (a) 130 (c) 250 (b) 230 (d) 175

24. If the numerator of a fraction is increased by 20% and its denominator is decreased by 10%, the fraction becomes (16/21). Find the original fraction. (a) 4 / 7 (c) 2 / 7 (b) 7 / 4 (d) 3 / 7

30. The arithmetic mean of 75 numbers is calculated as 35. If each number is increased by 5, then the new mean is (a) 30 (c) 70 (b) 40 (d) 90

25. The salary of a man increased by 20% at the end of the first year of his service and by 15% at the end of the second year of his service. If his original salary was Rs. 10000, then what will be his salary at the end of second year? (a) 12,800 (c) 13,800 (b) 14,000 (d) 13,000

31. The price of tea has increased by 25%. The percentage of reduction that a family should effect in the use of tea so as not to increase expenditure on this account is (a) 25 (c) 30 (b) 20 (d) None of these

26. What will be the percentage change in expenditure if the price of the commodity increases by 15% and the consumption also goes up by 10%? (a) 26 (b) 27

32. A housewife saved Rs. 2.50 in buying an item on sale. If she spent Rs. 25 for the item, approximately how much percent she saved in the transaction? (a) 8 (b) 9

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

Page 7 of 10

FACE
(c) 10 (d) 11

PERCENTAGES

Placement Cracker QA-3

33. A medical student has to secure 40% mark to pass. He gets 80 and fails by 60 marks. Find the maximum marks. (a) 150 (c) 350 (b) 250 (d) 450

39. The ratio of three numbers is 3 : 4: 5 and the sum of their squares is 1250. The sum of the numbers is (a) 30 (b) 50 (c) 60 (d) 90

40. The number that must be subtracted from 17, 20 and 24 so that the resulting numbers are in continued proportion is (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 8 (d) 10

34. By how much percent is four-fifth of 70 lesser than five-seventh of 112? (a) 24 (c) 36 (b) 30 (d) 42

41. Concentration of three wines is 10%, 20% and 30% respectively. They are mixed in the ratio 2 : 3 : x resulting in a 23% concentration. Find x. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 5 (d) 4

35. What is the total number of customers in a shop in a particular day when 31% of them purchase on credit and the number of those who do cash purchase exceeds the number of credit purchase by 247? (a) 605 (c) 650 (b) 560 (d) 1650

42. The ratio of the number of 50 paise, Re 1 and Rs. 5 coins with Renu is 5 : 2 : 1. If the amount with her is Rs. 38, then the number of Re 1 coins with Renu is (a) 8 (b) 20 (c) 4 (d) 12

36. The price of a car is Rs. 3.25 lakhs. It was insured to 85% of its price. The car was damaged in an accident and the insurance company paid 90% of the insurance. What was the difference between the price of the car and the amount received? (a) 32,500 (c) 76,375 37. If p% of p is 36, then p=? (a) 15 (c) 600 (b) 60 (d) 3600 (b) 48,750 (d) 81,250

43. A glass rod of length 6480 cm is broken into 4 parts. The length of the 4 parts are in the ratio 1/2 : 5/6 : 2/3 : 4/7. Find the length of the third largest part. (a) 2160 cm (c) 1260 cm (b) 1440 cm (d) 1680 cm

44. In a mixture of 80 litres, the ratio of milk and water is 4 : 1. If the ratio of milk and water has to be 1 : 4, then the amount of water to be further added is (a) 10 litres (c) 150 litres (b) 240 litres (d) 180 litres

38. In a city 40% people are illiterates and 60% are poor. Among the rich 10% are illiterate. What percent of the poor population are illiterates? (a) 36% (c) 60% (b) 40% (d) None of these

45. The ratio in which rice of Rs.2.00 per kg has to be mixed with Rs.3.00 per kg to produce a mixture worth Rs.2.50 per kg is, (a) 2 : 1 (c) 1 : 3 (b) 1 : 1 (d) 1 : 2

46. The ratio of present ages of father and son is 4:1. The father was 36 years old when his daughter, who is 6

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

Page 8 of 10

FACE

PERCENTAGES

Placement Cracker QA-3

years younger to his son, was born. Find the present ages in years of the father and the son. (a) 48, 12 (c) 40, 10 (b) 32, 8 (d) 60, 15

classes Y and Z together is 81.What is the average score for all the three classes, taken together? (a) 81 (c) 82 (b) 81.5 (d) 82.5

47. The average price of 10 books is Rs 12, while the average price of 8 of these books is Rs 11.75. Of the remaining 2 books, if the price of one book is 60% more than the price of the other, what is the price of each of these 2 books (in Rs)? (a) 5, 7.5 (c) 10, 16 (b) 8, 12 (d) 12, 14

53. The arithmetic mean of the 5 consecutive integers starting with 's' is 'a'. What is the arithmetic mean of 9 consecutive integers that starts with s + 2? (a) 2 + s + a (c) 2a + 2 (b) 2s (d) 4 + a

54. The average of two numbers is XY. If one number is X, what is the other number? (a) Y (c) 2XY X (b) Y/2 (d) X (Y 1)

48. The average of 7 numbers is 25. If each number is multiplied by 5 find the average of the new set of numbers? (a) 123 (c) 138 (b) 125 (d) 135

49. A motorist travels to a place 150 km away at an average speed of 50 kmph and returns at 30 kmph. His average speed for the whole journey in kmph is (a) 35 (b) 37 (c) 37.5 (d) 40

55. A man whose bowling speed is 12.4 takes 5 wickets for 26 runs and thereby decreases his average by 0.4.The number of wickets taken by him before the last match is (a) 85 (c) 70 (b) 72 (d) Data insufficient

50. Of the 3 numbers the first is 4 times the second and 3 times the third. If the average of all the 3 numbers is 95, then the 3rd number is (a) 57 (b) 76 (c) 38 (d) 60

56. The average age of A and B is 20 years. If C were to replace A, the average would be 19 and if c were to replace B, the average would be 21. What are the averages of A, B and C? (a) 22, 18, 20 (c) 20, 15, 22 (b) 18, 20, 25 (d) 15, 20, 25

51. Among 3 numbers, the first is twice the second and thrice the third. If the average of 3 numbers is 49.5, what is the difference between the first and the third number? (a) 54 (b) 28 (c) 39.5 (d) 41.5

Directions for questions 57 to 59: There are 60 students in a class. These students are divided into 3 groups A, B and C of 15, 20 and 25 students each. The group A and C are combined to form group D. 57. What is the average weight of students in group-D? (a) more than the average weight of A Page 9 of 10

52. Three math classes: X, Y, and Z, take an algebra test. The average score in class X is 83.The average score in class Y is 76. The average score in class Z is 85.The average score of all students in classes X and Y together is 79.The average score of all students in

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

FACE
(b) more than the average weight of C (c) less than the average weight of C (d) cannot be determined

PERCENTAGES

Placement Cracker QA-3

58. If one student is shifted from group A to group B, which of the following will be true? (a) average weight of both groups increases (b) average weight remains the same (c) average weight of both groups decreases (d) cannot be determined 59. If all students of the class have the same weight, then which of the following is false? (a) the average weight of all four groups is the same (b) the total weight of A and C is twice the total weight of B (c) average weight of D is greater than that of average weight of A (d) average weight of all groups is the same even if a number of students are shifted from one group to another . 60. At an election, A expected to beat his only rival B by 300 votes but 50 of his supporters did not go at all and an equal number changed over to the other side. If A still wins by a margin of 10% of the votes finally cast in his favour, find the number of votes cast in the favour of his rival. (a) 2000 (c) 2250 (b) 1800 (d) 1350

Focus Academy for Career Enhancement | www.focusacademy.in | 0422-4506071

Page 10 of 10