Percent Word Problems Handout
Revised @2009 MLC page 1 of 8
Percent Word Problems
Ratio and proportion method
Here are several aids that will help you solve word problems:
1. Make sure you understand the question that is asked
2. Sort out the information to make a basic percent problem, such
as “30% of what is 17?”
3. Sometimes, you will have to subtract or add some of the numbers.
4. The base will always be the original number, price, or total.
Some examples of percent word problems.
A baseball pitcher won 80% of the games he pitched. If he pitched 35
ballgames, how many games did he win?
80% of 35 is what?
35100
80
Jerry, an electrician, worked 7 months out of the year. What percent
of the year did he work? (round answer to the nearest hundredth)
What percent of 12 is 7? 12 months = 1 year
12
7
100
1. Multiply the opposites
80 x 35 = 2800
2. Divide by the remaining number
28
2800100
28 games
1. Multiply the opposites
7 x 100 = 700
2. Divide by the remaining number
58.33
700.0012
58.33% (rounded to hundredth)
