How to Solve Percent Word Problems

Percent word problems appear constantly in real life: discounts, tax, tips, scores, surveys, and interest.

Quick idea

Most percent word problems use percent times whole equals part.

Steps

1. Identify the percent, the whole, and the part.
2. Convert the percent to a decimal.
3. Write an equation using part equals percent times whole.
4. Solve and label the answer.

Worked example

Find 15 percent of 60.

Full solution

Step-by-step walkthrough

Step 1

Convert 15 percent to 0.15.

Step 2

Multiply 0.15 by 60.

Step 3

The answer is 9.

Common mistake

The whole is the original amount, not always the largest number in the problem.

Practice problems

1. Find 20% of 50.
2. A $40 item is 25% off. Find the discount.
3. A test has 80 questions and you got 90%. How many correct?

Answers

1. 10
2. $10
3. 72

Ask Pennpaper to explain it live

If the steps make sense but you still feel stuck, start a Pennpaper lesson and ask the tutor to draw the problem on the whiteboard. Seeing the symbols move step by step is often what makes the concept click.

Related guides

• How to Find Percentages
• How to Solve Proportions
• How to Turn Word Problems Into Equations