Step by step
The question
Question: find the percent change from 40 to 50.
1 Find the change
First: how much did it change?
It went up from 40 to 50.
50 minus 40 is 10.
It went up, so it is an increase.
2 Compare with the start
Now we compare the change with where we started.
The change, 10, goes on top.
The old number, 40, goes on the bottom.
Careful: we divide by the number we started with, 40.
Not by the new number.
3 Simplify
Smaller numbers are easier.
10 goes into 40: 10 times 4 is 40.
So 10 goes into both.
We divide the top and the bottom by 10.
10 divided by 10 is 1.
40 divided by 10 is 4.
4 Make the bottom 100
Percent means out of 100.
So we want 100 at the bottom.
100 divided by 4 is 25.
So 4 times 25 is 100.
We multiply the top and the bottom by 25.
So the fraction keeps its size.
1 times 25 is 25.
4 times 25 is 100.
25 out of 100 is 25%.
So it is a 25% increase.
5 Check
Let's check: 25% of 40 should be the change, 10.
25% is 25/100.
Of means times.
To keep the numbers small, we divide the top and the bottom by 25.
25 goes into 100: 25 times 4 is 100.
So 25 goes into both.
That is 1/4.
40 divided by 4 is 10.
That is 10.
And 40 plus 10 is 50, the new number.
So it is right!
6 Change the form
No dollar signs, percent signs or commas on the SAT.
25% is typed as 25.
7 Count the characters
The answer box takes 5 characters.
25 has 2.
It fits.
8 Type it in
We type 25.
Let's look back.
First: find the change.
Then: compare with the start.
Then: simplify.
Then: make the bottom 100.
Then: check.
Then: change the form.
Then: count the characters.
Last: type it in.