Grade 8

Grade 8Comparing QuantitiesPercentage


Increase and Decrease Percent


In mathematics, especially when dealing with commercial problems, it becomes essential to understand the concept of percentage increase and percentage decrease. This topic explains how to find the percentage value increased or decreased of a given quantity. This lesson is important in solving real-world problems related to finance, sales, population studies, and much more.

What is the percentage?

The word percentage means per hundred. So, when we say 50 percent (or 50%), it means 50 out of 100, or simply put, 50/100. It is essential to understand this simple concept in order to understand the ideas of percentage increase and decrease.

The concept of percentage increase

When we talk about growth percentage, we are talking about the percentage that a number has increased compared to its original value.

Formula to calculate growth percentage

The formula for calculating growth percentage is:

 Increase percentage (%) = (Increase in price / Original price) × 100

Example of growth percentage

Suppose the price of a book was $40 last year and now it is $50. What is the increase percentage?

Here, the original price is $40. The increase in price is $50 - $40 = $10.

Use of the formula:

 Increase percentage (%) = (10 / 40) × 100 = 25%

Hence, the price is increased by 25%.

Original Price: $40 Increased price: $50

The concept of reduction percentage

In contrast, when we refer to reduction percentage, we are referring to the percentage by which a number decreases compared to its original value.

Formula to calculate reduction percentage

The formula for calculating reduction percentage is:

 Reduction percentage (%) = (Reduction in price / Original price) × 100

Example of reduction percentage

Imagine that a garment cost $100 last season and this season it sells for $70. What is the percentage reduction?

The original price is $100, and the price reduction is $100 - $70 = $30.

Apply the formula:

 Decrease percentage (%) = (30 / 100) × 100 = 30%

The price has decreased by 30%.

Original Price: $100 Reduced price: $70

More examples

  1. Example 1: Last year there were 120 students enrolled in a course. This year the enrollment increased to 156 students. Calculate the growth percentage.

    Increase in enrolment = 156 – 120 = 36 students

    Increase percentage (%) = (36 / 120) × 100 = 30%

    This shows that there has been a 30% increase in course enrolment this year.

  2. Example 2: A store had a stock of 300 units of a product, which decreased to 240 units during a sale. Find the reduction percentage.

    Decrease in stock = 300 – 240 = 60 units

    Reduction percentage (%) = (60 / 300) × 100 = 20%

    This shows that the store's stock had decreased by 20%.

Applications in real life

The concepts of percent increase and percent decrease aren't just limited to academic problems - they're important in everyday life, too. Here are a few ways:

Financial development

Investors and economists use percentage growth to express how much an investment has increased over time. If a $1000 investment grows to $1500, the growth percentage can help investors compare the profitability of different options.

Sales discount

In retail, knowing the percentage reduction helps both retailers and customers understand the effect of discounts. For example, if you know a dress was originally priced at $200 and now costs $160, calculating the reduction percentage will tell you how much the price has been reduced.

Population studies

Population studies often involve percentage growth to show how a population grows or decreases over a period of time. If a country's population was 50 million and grew to 55 million, demographers can immediately express this change as a percentage increase.

Practice problems

  1. The price of a chocolate bar was increased from $1.50 to $1.80. Calculate the percentage increase.
  2. The production of a company decreased from 1500 units to 1350 units in a month. What is the percentage decrease?
  3. The price of a book was reduced from $30 to $24 during a clearance sale. Find the percentage reduction.
  4. Due to a salary review, an employee's salary increased from $50,000 to $55,000. Find the percentage increase in salary.
  5. A certain forest area is spread over an area of 500 hectares and after one year it has reduced to 450 hectares. Find the percentage reduction in the forest area.

Solving practice problems

  1. Increase in price = $1.80 - $1.50 = $0.30
     Increase percentage (%) = (0.30 / 1.50) × 100 = 20%
            
  2. Decrease in units = 1500 – 1350 = 150 units
     Reduction percentage (%) = (150 / 1500) × 100 = 10%
            
  3. Decrease in price = $30 – $24 = $6
     Decrease percentage (%) = (6 / 30) × 100 = 20%
            
  4. Salary increase = $55,000 – $50,000 = $5,000
     Increase percentage (%) = (5000 / 50000) × 100 = 10%
            
  5. Decrease in area = 500 - 450 = 50 hectares
     Decrease percentage (%) = (50 / 500) × 100 = 10%
            

Conclusion

Both percentage increase and percentage decrease provide important information when comparing changes in quantities. Whether in academic studies, financial analysis, or understanding sales trends, mastering these calculations is essential. By practicing and understanding these concepts, individuals can gain valuable skills that make analyzing and interpreting data more intuitive and straightforward. As you continue exploring the world of percentages, you will find countless applications in everyday scenarios.


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