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#1 2005-09-19 23:45:20

fortunefaded
Member
Registered: 2005-09-19
Posts: 1

Percentages...so basic :(

Hey all,

I'm not very good at maths but help me out, will ya?

Ok, here is the scenario:

The total value of the car is £100, so what is 10%?

ok...thats £10, so new valueis £90, from that...how do you get back to the full amount via percentages.

I would say, ohh its 90% of the total price...so add 10%, right? so this is:

10% of 90 which £9, so the new value is £99, that is incorrect.

How do i do it via percentages. I'm meant to know this for vat purposes,  i know in answer it, in the forumla it would be like times 100.2 etc.


please help!

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#2 2005-09-20 00:41:18

MathsIsFun
Administrator
Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Re: Percentages...so basic :(

Yes, because 10% of 100 is 10, 10% of 90 is 9, just as 10% of 50 is 5.

When you say "subtract 10%" you are really saying, "take the original number, and subtract 10% of the original number"

So:  Answer = Number - Number×10%
Or:  Answer = Number - Number×0.10  (because 10% = 0.10)
Or:  Answer = Number × (1-0.10)

So: Answer = 100 × (1-0.10) = 100 × 0.9 = 90

You got 90 by multiplying ... so to reverse it you divide: 90 ÷ 0.9 = 100

If you prefer to multiply instead of dividig you can do it this way: 90 × (1/0.9) =  90 × 1.111... = 99.999...

This can be used for any percentage: 120 - 15% = 120 × (1-0.15) = 120 × 0.85 = 102
Reverse it: 102 ÷ 0.85 = 120, or 102 × (1/0.85) = 120 × 1.1765 (approx) = 120.003

For 17.5% the "reduction" is: × (1-0.175) , or  × .825
And the "get it back again" is: × 1/(1-0.175) , or × 1.212121...


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#3 2005-09-20 11:32:46

Ohlordy!
Guest

Re: Percentages...so basic :(

I don't understand where your getting the 1- from.

Also, i thought i had it, it worked when i did you example of 120, but i'll show you my examples:

372-35%

me:

372/100
=3.72*35
=130.0

so:

130.2/65 (should equal 372?)
=200.3077

Second example:
260-75%

me:
260/100
=2.6*75
=195

So
195/0.25
=(should equal 260?)
=780

Third Example:
34-17.5%
=0.34*17.5
=5.95

So
5.95/0.825
=7.2

...::sigh::... I just don't understand what i'm doing wrong sad

#4 2005-09-21 01:10:37

MathsIsFun
Administrator
Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Re: Percentages...so basic :(

1 is 100%, so I was just showing that 100%-10% = 90%, or 1-0.1=0.9

Remember you are not just calculating percentages, you are subtracting percentages.

372-35% = (372) - (35% of 372) = 372 - 130.2 = 241.8

is the same as:

372 x 65% = 372 x 0.65 = 241.8

To get from 241.8 back to 372:  241.8 / 0.65 = 372

So, be careful of the difference between 10% of 50 (=5) and 50-10% (=50-5=45)


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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