Percentages

[sam182]

whats 15% off £40

[squarebear]

£34

[Davethedog]

15% of £40 is £6

[WELSHYORKIE]

£6 is 15% therefore the answer would be £34

[factor-fiction]

Shops, TV news items, politicians, newspaper reports, etc. quote percentages all the time but the sad fact is that a significant proportion of the population doesn't have much idea as to what the figures mean.

[hc4361]

factor30, I am sure it is the minority that doesn't understand per centages.
It worries me that a considerable number don't seem to understand the difference between off and of; have and of.

[factor-fiction]

I'm not so sure, hc4361, but it may be a matter of semantics.

For example the attached research paper showed that 47% of 16-65 year olds were below Numeracy Level 1. An example of Level 1 would be the ability to work out simple percentages.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...t_of_low_numeracy.pdf

Okay, 47% is indeed a minority, but I think it is fair to describe it as a 'significant proportion'. When you add in pensioners and teenagers the figure may indeed be nearer 50%.

My experience from teaching is that around half of school leavers and adults cannot work out something such as the price of a £40 item after the price is reduced by 15%. And I reckon nearer three quarters could not work out the original price of an item which is now priced at £44 after a 20% reduction.

[DTCwordfan]

Sam is working off a pc or a desktop - I assume that it has a calculator application

"Use it rather than cluttering up the threads here," is my advice

[Prudie]

I agree with factor, a 'fair' number of adults may be able to work out OP's question but not the examples factor quoted.

[ChuckFickens]

The problem is though if somebody doesn't understand the concept of what they are doing then a calculator won't help. (besides, it would be quicker to work out the OP in your head than load the calculator)

[gingejbee]

What do you mean, can't understand percentages? 50% of the population can't understand them but the other 60% are very competent.

[factor-fiction]

I was saving a variation of that one for later, gingejbee, but you've beaten me to it!

[saxy_jag]

Given that 15% 'off' £40 is £34 and that 15% 'of' £40 is £6, I don't think it really matters - in this case - how the word was spelt, what it meant or whether it was just a typo.

And given that Sam's question has been answered three times over, I don't feel quite so guilty about wandering off topic with the others and agreeing with Factor and HC. Too many people have no idea what a percentage means, let alone work it out. Therefore the advice to use a calculator is pretty pointless if you don't have any concept of the result you're aiming for.