A Guide to the GRE/Percentages

Percentages Percentage is a fraction of 100. 11% = .11 = Percent simply means “per hundred.” However, be careful not to mix up the two key ways in which percentages are used. Do not mix up changing to a percentage with changing by a percentage. If a group of 100 members decreases to 20% of its membership, its membership goes down to 20. If the group decreases by 20%, it goes down to 80. Increasing to 110% is the same as increasing by 10%. This also applies to fractions and decimals but is an especially common error with percentages. Practice {What is 30% of 80? |type="{}"} { 24 } {(Questions 2-3) If a bank account worth $10,000 increased in value by 25%...} {...how much did it increase? |type="{}"} ${ 2,500|2500 } {...how much is it worth now? |type="{}"} ${ 12,500|12500 } {(Questions 4-5) If a bank account worth $10,000 decreased in value to 25% of its worth...} {...how much did it decrease? |type="{}"} ${ 7,500|7500 } {...how much is it worth now? |type="{}"} ${ 2,500|2500 }