Page 278 - Math Smart - 7

12.1.4 Comparing two quantities in

percentages

Sometimes you have to compare different amounts which can be a percentage, a
fraction or a decimal.

Example 7

O Which is greater, ^ or 16%?

Solution
Express ^ as a percentage:

^ X 100% = 15%
16% > 15%, so 16% is greater than ^
.

0 Three friends are at a basketball game stall. They each have the same number
of basketballs to throw into the hoop. Friend A gets 72% of her basketballs
Into the hoop. Friend B gets ^ of his basketballs into the hoop and Friend C
gets 0.67 of her basketballs in. Who got the least number of basketballs into
the hoop?

Solution
Friend A got 72% of her shots in.
Express ^ as a percentage: ^ x 100% = 76%. So, Friend C got 76% of her
19
shots in.
Express 0.67 as a percentage: 0.67 x 100% = 67%. So, Friend C got 67% of
her shots in.
67% < 72% < 76%
So, Friend C got the least number of basketballs into the hoop.

O Journal Writing

I O Can 25% of something be greater than 50% of something else?
L Explain.
n © A big company says that its earnings for this year is 120% of last
I year's earnings.
I Explain how the percentage can be greater than 100%.

UNIT 12 Percentages