WORD PROBLEMS ON PERCENTAGE

Problem 1 :

The Salamanderville, there is a 24% chance it will rain on any given day. How many days of rain would you expect in 50 days ?

Solution :

Total number of days expecting rain = 50 days

The expected number of days that may rain = 24% of 50

= 0.24 (50)

= 12

So, out of 50 days, we can expect rain for 12 days.

Problem 2 :

There are 50586757 people in South Africa and 43% live in rural areas. How many people live in rural areas ?

Solution :

Total population = 50586757

Percentage of people live in rural = 43%

Number of people live in rural = 43% of 50586757

= 0.43(50586757)

= 21752306

Problem 3 :

21.7 million South Africans voted in the 1994 elections. 73% of them had never voted before.

How many people had never voted before the 1994 election ?

Solution :

Percentage of people who never voted = 73%

Number of people who never voted = 73% of 21.7 million

= 15.84 million.

So, 15.84 million people who never voted before 1994.

Problem 4 :

Sally either walks, cycles or drives to work. She walks about 15% of the time. In 100 days, how many times would she cycle ?

Solution :

Total number of days = 100 days = 100%

Percentage of days she walks = 15%

Percentage of days she cycles = 100 - 15

= 85%

= 85% of 100 days

= 0.85(100)

= 85 days

So, she will cycle on 85 days.

Problem 5 :

There are 1291 tuberculosis patients at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. 80% of them are HIV positive? 

How many TB patients are HIV patients ?

Solution :

Total number of patients = 1291

Percentage of HIV patients = 80%

Number of HIV patients = 80% of 1291

= 0.80(1291)

= 1032.8

= 1032

So, 1032 are HIV patients.

Problem 6 :

Top teenage T shirts printed 120 T-shirts. They sold 72 T-shirts. What percentage of the T shirts were sold ?

Solution :

Total number of T-shirts = 120

Number of T-shirts sold = 72

Percentage of T-shirts sold = (72/120) x 100%

= 60 T-shirts.

Problem 7 :

You are assigned 32 math exercises for homework. You complete 87.5% of these before dinner. How many do you have left to do after dinner?

Solution :

Number of math exercises for homework = 32

Percentage of homework you have completed = 87.5%

Percentage of homework you have completed after dinner = 100 - 87.5

= 12.5%

= 12.5% of 32

= 12.5/100 x 32

= 0.125 x 32

= 4

So, 4 math exercise to be completed after dinner.

Problem 8 :

Your friend earns $10.50 per hour. This is 125% of her hourly wage last year. How much did your friend earn per hour last year?

Solution :

Earning per hour = $10.50

Let x be the amount he earns last year.

125% of x = 10.50

(125/100) x = 10.50

x = 10.50 (100/125)

x = 8.4

So, the last year wages per hour is $8.4

Problem 9 :

3/4 is 60% of what number ?

Solution :

Let x be the required number

60% of x = 3/4

(60/100) x = 3/4

60x / 100 = 3/4

x = (3/4)(100/60)

x = 300/240

x = 1.25

So, the required number is 1.25.

Problem 10 :

What number is 25% of 7/8?

Solution :

Let x be the required number.

25% of x = 7/8

(25/100) x = 7/8

x = (7/8) (100/25)

x = 3.5

So, the required number is 3.5.

Problem 11 :

The bar graph shows the numbers of reserved campsites at a campground for one week. What percent of the reservations were for Friday or Saturday?

Solution :

Total number of reservations on weekdays = 5 + 3 + 4 + 7 + 26 + 30 + 9

= 84

Number of reservations on friday or saturday = 26 + 30

= 56

Percentage of reservations on friday or saturday = (56/84) x 100%

= 0.666 x 100%

= 66.6%

Problem 12 :

A classmate displays the results of a class president election in thebar graph shown.

a. What is missing from the bar graph?

b. What percent of the votes does the last-place candidate receive?

Explain your reasoning.

c. There are 124 votes total. How many votes does Chloe receive?

Solution :

a) Number of votes recieved by

• Greg = 1
• Diego = 6
• Amber = 2
• Rashad = 3
• Chloe = 4

Total number of votes = 1 +  6 +  2 + 3 + 4

= 16

b) Percentage of votes recieved by the candidate who got last place = 1/16

Since the total number of botes is 124, to make 16 as 124 we multiply both numerator and denominator by 7.75.

(1/16) x (7.75/7.75)

= 7.75/124

Converting into percentage,

= (7.75/124) x 100%

= 6.25%

c)  Number of votes recived by chloe = 4 (from the bar graph)

= 4/16

= (4/16) x 7.75/7.753

= 31/124

So, number of votes recieved by Chloe is 31.