Percents and their Applications
Examples, solutions, and videos that will help GMAT students review percents and their applications.
The following diagram gives the formula to find the percent of change. Scroll down the page for more examples and solutions.
Applications of Percent Change
Examples:
- While exercising, Martha’s heart rate is about 180 beats per minute. After exercising, Martha takes a nap, during which time her heart rate drops to 60 beats per minute. What is the percent change from her exercising heart rate to her resting heart rate?
- The enrollment for a certain school in 1980 was 400 students. This year, there are 685 students at the school. What is the percent increase in enrollment since 1980?
- During two weeks in the spring, the number of leaves on a young tree increased 85%. If the tree began with 200 leaves, how many leaves did the tree have at the end of the two week period?
- During a department store sale, the price of the designer watch dropped 25%. The watch originally cost $140. What is the sale price?
- Over several years, the number of squirrels in one area of the forest dropped 10% every decade.
That is, from 1980 to 1990, the number of squirrels dropped 10%, dropped 10% of the 1990 total from 1990 to 2000 dropped 10% of the 2000 total from 2000 to 2010.
In 1980, there were 400 squirrels living in that area. What is the number of squirrels living in the area in 2010?
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