Percent Word Problems
Percent word problems are everywhere in real life — from shopping discounts to taxes, from tips at restaurants to interest on savings. Learning to solve these problems will help you make smart decisions with money!
📊 The Three Basic Types of Percent Problems
Every percent problem falls into one of three types. Learning to identify which type you're dealing with is the key to solving it!
Type 1: Find the Part
"What is P% of W?"
Example: What is 20% of 80?
Formula:
Part = 80 × 0.20 = 16
Key words: "find," "calculate," "what is X% of"
Type 2: Find the Whole
"P% of what is N?"
Example: 20% of what number is 16?
Formula:
Whole = 16 ÷ 0.20 = 80
Key words: "X% equals," "X% is [number]"
Type 3: Find the Percent
"N is what % of W?"
Example: 16 is what percent of 80?
Formula:
Percent = (16 ÷ 80) × 100 = 20%
Key words: "what percent," "what % of"
🏷️ Discount Problems (Скидка)
When a store offers a discount, you pay less than the original price.
Key Formulas:
Discount Amount = Original Price × (Percent ÷ 100)
Sale Price = Original Price − Discount
Or use the shortcut:
Sale Price = Original Price × (1 − Percent ÷ 100)
Example: 20% off a 500 som item
Method 1 (Two steps):
- Discount = 500 × 0.20 = 100 som
- Sale Price = 500 − 100 = 400 som
Method 2 (One step):
- Sale Price = 500 × (1 − 0.20) = 500 × 0.80 = 400 som
📈 Markup Problems (Наценка)
When a store adds a markup, they sell for more than they paid.
Key Formulas:
Markup Amount = Cost × (Percent ÷ 100)
Selling Price = Cost + Markup
Or use the shortcut:
Selling Price = Cost × (1 + Percent ÷ 100)
Example: 30% markup on 200 som cost
Method 1 (Two steps):
- Markup = 200 × 0.30 = 60 som
- Selling Price = 200 + 60 = 260 som
Method 2 (One step):
- Selling Price = 200 × (1 + 0.30) = 200 × 1.30 = 260 som