Percent Increase & Decrease Words

Noah has a coupon for 30% off at his favorite clothing store. He paid $28 for a pair of jeans after using the coupon.

What percent are we trying to find?

• 30%

• 70%

• 100%

• x

Answer explanation

30% off means 30% less than the full price.

100%-30%=70%

Noah has a coupon for 30% off at his favorite clothing store. He paid $28 for a pair of jeans after using the coupon.

Is this an increase or a decrease?

• Increase

• Decrease

Answer explanation

Noah has a coupon for 30% off at his favorite clothing store.

30% off means that Noah is paying 30% LESS. Less money is a decrease.

Noah has a coupon for 30% off at his favorite clothing store. He paid $28 for a pair of jeans after using the coupon.

Which number or variable represents the full price of the jeans (before the discount)?

• 30%

• 70%

• $28

• x

Answer explanation

This problem doesn't tell what the price was before the discount. Since the amount is unknown, we use a variable, like x, to represent the full price.

Kelloggs is making a family size box of Cheerios. The original box has 500 grams of cereal. The family size will have 20% more.

Which number or variable represents 100% (the original amount of cereal)?

• 20%

• 80%

• 500

• x

Kelloggs is making a family size box of Cheerios. The original box has 500 grams of cereal. The family size will have 20% more.

What percent are we trying to find?

• 20%

• 80%

• 100%

• 120%

Answer explanation

20% more cereal means adding 20% to the original amount.

100% + 20% = 120%

Kelloggs is making a family size box of Cheerios. The original box has 500 grams of cereal. The family size will have 20% more.

How many grams of cereal are in the family size?

• 20%

• y

• 100%

• 500 grams

Answer explanation

The probelm doesn't say how many grams of cereal are in the family size. Since we don't know, we use a variable to represent the amount of grams. So there are y grams of cereal in the family size.

At a movie theatre, the size of popcorn bags decreased 20%. If the old bags held 15 cups of popcorn, how much do the new bags hold?

What percent are we trying to find?

• 20%

• 80%

• 100%

• 120%

Answer explanation

There is a 20% decrease.

100%-20%=80%

After a 25% discount, the price of a T-shirt was $12. What was the price before the discount?

Is this an increase or decrease?

• Increase

• Decrease

The snow is now 52 inches deep. If this was a 77% decrease, what was the initial depth?

What percent are we trying to find?

• 23%

• 77%

• 100%

• 177%

Answer explanation

There is a 77% decrease.

100%-77%=23%

The water level in a reservoir is now 52 meters. If this was a 23% increase, what was the initial depth?

What percent are we trying to find?

• 23%

• 77%

• 100%

• 123%

Answer explanation

There is a 23% increase.

100% + 23% = 123%