3.5.1 Try some yourself
Activity 26
Answer the following questions
(a) What is 40% as a fraction?
(b) What is
as a percentage?(c) What is 1.26 as a percentage?
Answer
(a) 40% =
= 
.(b)
= × 100% = 3 × 25% = 75%.(c) 1.26 = 1.26 × 100% = 126%.
Activity 27
In an election 1248 votes out of 3000 are cast for the Gold party. What is this as a percentage? If in the previous election 35.1% voted Gold, what is the swing to Gold in percentage points?
Answer
× 100% = 41.6%.
The swing is 41.6 − 35.1 = 6.5 percentage points.
Activity 28
A quote from a builder for some home improvements is £2200 plus VAT.
(a) If VAT is
%, what is the amount including VAT?(b) If the builder gives 10% reductions for prompt payment, what would the amount be then (including VAT)?
Answer
(a) £2200 ×
= £2585.(b) £2585 ×
= £2326.50.
Activity 29
An airline decides to increase its fares from London to Europe by 17% and its fares to North America by 15%. Before the increase a special offer European fare from London to Geneva was £165 and the North American fare from London to New York was £376. What would the new fares be for these trips after the increases?
Answer
The London to Geneva fare is increased by 17%. So it will now cost 117% of £165, i.e. 1.17 × £165 = £193.05.
The London to New York fare is increased by 15%. So it will now cost 115% of £376, i.e. 1.15 × £376 = £432.40.