Fraction

Although they may seem more difficult, in reality word problems involving fractions are just as
easy as those involving whole numbers. The only thing we have to do is:

1.Read the problem carefully

2.Think about what it is asking us to do
3.Think about the information we need
4.Solve it
5.Simplify, if necessary
6.Think about whether our solution makes sense (in order to check it)

As you can see, the only difference in fraction word problems is step 5 (simplify).

There are some word problems which, depending on the information provided, we should express
as a fraction. For example:

Example:

In my fruit basket there are 13 pieces of fruit, 5 of which are apples.

How can we express the number of apples as a fraction?

5 – The number of apples (5) corresponds to the numerator (the number which expresses the
number of parts that we wish to represent).

13 – The total number of fruits (13) corresponds to the denominator (the number which expresses
the number of total possible parts).

The solution to this problem is an irreducible fraction (a fraction which cannot be simplified).
Therefore, there is nothing left to do.

Word problems with fractions: involving two fractions

In these problems we should remember how to carry out operations with fractions.

Read carefully the following problem and the steps we have taken to solve it:

Maria spent of the money her grandparents gave her on an adventure book. She also

spent of the money on a bag of candy.

What fraction of the payment has Maria spent?

We find the common denominator:

We calculate:
Answer:

Word problems with fractions: involving a fraction and a whole number

Finally, we are going to look at an example of a word problem with a fraction and a whole number.
Now we will have to convert all the information into a fraction with the same denominator (as we
did in the example above) in order to calculate

This morning Miguel bought 1 pound of anchovies. In order to eat with his family, he

used of a pound. How much does he have left in the refrigerator?

We convert 1 into a fraction with the same denominator:

We calculate:

Answer:

Example 1

You are whipping up your uncle's famous honey chipotle BBQ sauce for a school fundraiser. The

recipe calls for cup of sugar. You need to make 5 batches of sauce. How much sugar do you
need?

cups of sugar

Example 2
You decide to dye your hair various colors for Halloween. If you dye of it blue, pink, and
black, how much of your original hair color is left?

We first need to find out what fraction of your hair is dyed, by adding .

Our common denominator will be , so .

That means that you have colored of your hair.

Decimal

Example 1: If 58 out of 100 students in a school are boys, then write a decimal for the part of the
school that consists of boys.

Analysis: We can write a fraction and a decimal for the part of the school that consists of boys.
fraction decimal
0.58
Answer: 0.58

Example 2: A computer processes information in nanoseconds. A nanosecond is one billionth of a

second. Write this number as a decimal.
Analysis: We can write a one billionth as a fraction and then as a decimal.
fraction decimal
1/100 000
0.000000001
000

Example 1: School lunches cost $14.50 per week. About how much would 15.5 weeks of lunches
cost?

Analysis: We need to estimate the product of $14.50 and 15.5. To do this, we will round one factor
up and one factor down.
Estimate:

Answer: The cost of 15.5 weeks of school lunches would be about $200.

Example 2: A student earns $11.75 per hour for gardening. If she worked 21 hours this month,
then how much did she earn?
Analysis: To solve this problem, we will multiply $11.75 by 21.
Multiply:

Answer: The student will earn $246.75 for gardening this month.
Percent
What percent of 20 is 30?

We have the original number (20) and the comparative number (30). The unknown in this
problem is the rate or percentage. Since the statement is "(thirty) is (some percentage) of
(twenty)", then the variable stands for the percentage, and the equation is:
30 = (x)(20)
30 ÷ 20 = x = 1.5
Since x stands for a percentage, I need to remember to convert this decimal back into a
percentage:

1.5 = 150%
Thirty is 150% of 20.
•What is 35% of 80?

Here we have the rate (35%) and the original number (80); the unknown is the comparative
number which constitutes 35% of 80. Since the exercise statement is "(some number) is
(thirty-five percent) of (eighty)", then the variable stands for a number and the equation is:
x = (0.35)(80)
x = 28
Twenty-eight is 35% of 80.
•45% of what is 9?

Here we have the rate (45%) and the comparative number (9); the unknown is the original
number that 9 is 45% of. The statement is "(nine) is (forty-five percent) of (some number)", so
the variable stands for a number, and the equation is:
9 = (0.45)(x)
9 ÷ 0.45 = x = 20
Nine is 45%of 20.

Ratio
Example 1:

A backyard pond has 12 sunfish and 30 rainbow shiners. Write the ratio of sunfish to rainbow
shiners in simplest form.
Write the ratio as a fraction.
1230
Now reduce the fraction.
25
So the ratio of sunfish to rainbow shiners is 2:5.
(Note that the ratio of rainbow shiners to sunfish is the reciprocal : 52 or 5:2.)
Read word problems carefully to check whether the ratio you're being asked for is a fraction of
the total or the ratio of one part to another part.

Example 2:

Ms. Ekpebe's class has 32 students, of which 20 are girls. Write the ratio of girls to boys.
Careful! Don't write 2032 .. that's the fraction of the total number of students that are girls. We
want the ratio of girls to boys.
Subtract 20 from 32 to find the number of boys in the class.
32−20=12
There are 12 boys in the class. So, ratio of girls to boys is 20:12.
You can reduce this ratio, the same way you reduce a fraction. Both numbers have a common fact
of 4, so divide both by 4.
In simplest form, this ratio is 5:3.
Some ratio word problems require you to solve a proportion.

There are 600 pupils in a school. The ratio of boys to girls in this school is 3:5. How many girls and
how many boys are in this school?
Solution
In order to obtain a ratio of boys to girls equal to 3:5, the number of boys has to be written as 3 x
and the number of girls as 5 x where x is a common factor to the number of girls and the number
of boys. The total number of boys and girls is 600. Hence
3x + 5x = 600
Solve for x
8x = 600
x = 75
Number of boys
3x = 3 × 75 = 225
Number of girls
5x = 5 × 75 = 375

1.There are r red marbles, b blue marbles and w white marbles in a bag. Write the ratio of
the number of blue marbles to the total number of marbles in terms of r, b and w.
Solution
The total number of marbles is
r+b+w
The total ratio of blue marbles to the total number of marbles is
r / (r + b + w)

2.The perimeter of a rectangle is equal to 280 meters. The ratio of its length to its width is
5:2. Find the area of the rectangle.
Solution
If the ratio of the length to the width is 5:2, then the measure L of the length and and the
measure W of the with can be written as
L = 5x and W = 2x
We now use the perimeter to write
280 = 2(2L + 2W) = 2(5x + 2x) = 14x
Solve for x
280 = 14x
x = 280 / 14 = 20
The area A of the rectangle is given by
A = L × W = 5x × 2x = 10x2 = 10×202 = 4000 square meters

3.The angles of a triangle are in the ratio 1:3:8. Find the measures of the three angles of
this triangle.
Solution
 If the ratio of the three angles is 1:3:8, then the measures of these angles can be written as
x, 3x and 8x. Also the sum of the three interior angles of a triangle is equal to 180°. Hence
x + 3x + 8x = 180
Solve for x
12x = 180
x = 15
The measures of the three angles are
x = 15°
3x = 3 × 15 = 45°
8x = 8 × 15 = 120°

4.The measures of the two acute angles of a right triangle are in the ratio 2:7. What are the
measures of the two angles?
Solution
If the ratio of the two angles is 2:7, then the measures of two angles can be written as 2x
and 7x. Also the two acute angles of a triangle is equal to 90°. Hence
2x + 7x = 90
9x = 90
x = 10
Measures of the two acute angles are
2x = 2 × 10 = 20°
7x = 7 × 10 = 70°

Proportion

Example:
If two pencils cost $1.50, how many pencils can you buy with $9.00?

Solution
The number of pencils is directly proportional to the cost.

pencils

Example:
It takes 4 men 6 hours to repair a road. How long will it take 8 men to do the job if they work at the
same rate?

Solution:
The number of men is inversely proportional to the time taken to do the job.
Let t be the time taken for the 8 men to finish the job.
4×6=8×t
24 = 8t
t = 3 hours

Direct Proportion Examples

In our first example we had 7 cans of paint in a ratio of blue to red of 4:3. What would we need if
we doubled the amount of paint in direct proportion?

We would double the amount of blue paint. 4x2=8

 We would double the amount of red paint. 3x2=6
We would need 8 cans of blue and 6 cans of red paint.
Here are some more examples of the types of problems that can be solved using direct proportion.

You have found that a good ratio of pizzas to people is 1:3. You are having a party and there will
be 12 people there. How many pizzas do you need for the party?
Ratio of pizza to people is 1:3

1 pizza feeds 3 people.

We have 12 people. 12 ÷ 3 = 4
How many groups of 3 are in 12?
We would need 4 pizzas to feed 12 people.
In the following examples we will ask ourselves, "how much for one?" Problems with ratio and
proportion can often be solved using this strategy.

You are using a recipe for meatloaf that calls for 10 oz. of ground beef. The recipe is for 5
servings but you want to make enough for 8. How much ground beef should you use?
Ratio of people to beef is 5 people : 10oz.

First calculate how much beef is needed for 1 serving. 10 ÷ 5 = 2

1 serving needs 2 oz. For 8 servings multiply by 8. 2 x 8 = 16
You should use 16 oz. of ground beef.

Percentage

1. in an election, candidate A got 75% of the total valid votes. If 15% of the total votes were
declared invalid and the total numbers of votes is 560000, find the number of valid vote polled in
favour of candidate.

Solution:

Total number of invalid votes = 15 % of 560000

= 15/100 × 560000

= 8400000/100

= 84000

Total number of valid votes 560000 – 84000 = 476000

Percentage of votes polled in favour of candidate A = 75 %

Therefore, the number of valid votes polled in favour of candidate A = 75 % of 476000

= 75/100 × 476000

= 35700000/100

= 357000
2. A shopkeeper bought 600 oranges and 400 bananas. He found 15% of oranges and 8% of
bananas were rotten. Find the percentage of fruits in good condition.

Solution:

Total number of fruits shopkeeper bought = 600 + 400 = 1000

Number of rotten oranges = 15% of 600

= 15/100 × 600

= 9000/100

= 90

Number of rotten bananas = 8% of 400

= 8/100 × 400

= 3200/100

= 32

Therefore, total number of rotten fruits = 90 + 32 = 122

Therefore Number of fruits in good condition = 1000 - 122 = 878

Therefore Percentage of fruits in good condition = (878/1000 × 100)%

= (87800/1000)%

= 87.8%

3. Aaron had $ 2100 left after spending 30 % of the money he took for shopping. How much
money did he take along with him?

Solution:

Let the money he took for shopping be m.

Money he spent = 30 % of m

= 30/100 × m

= 3/10 m

Money left with him = m – 3/10 m = (10m – 3m)/10 = 7m/10

But money left with him = $ 2100

Therefore 7m/10 = $ 2100

m = $ 2100× 10/7

m = $ 21000/7

m = $ 3000

Therefore, the money he took for shopping is $ 3000.

Mark up/on

Example 1 : A computer store used a markup rate of 40%. Find the selling price of a computer
game that cost the retailer $25.

Solution :

Selling price (S.P) = (100+M)% x C.P

Here, M = 40, C.P = $25

Then, S.P = (100 + 40)% x 25

S.P = 140% x 25

S.P = 1.4 x 25 = $35

Hence, the selling price is $35

Example 2 : A golf store pays its wholesaler $40for a certain club, and then sells it to a golfer
for $75. What is the markup rate?

Solution :

Cost price (C.P) = $ 40

Selling price (S.P) = $ 75

Mark up value = 75 - 40 = $ 35

Mark up rate = (35/40)x100 % = 87.5 %

Hence, the mark up rate is 87.5 %

Let us look at the next example on "Markup and markdown word problems answers"

Example 3 : A store uses a 40% markup on cost. Find the cost of a pair of shoes that sells for
$63.

Solved Examples
Question 1: A retailer is using a 40% as markup rate on software for computers, if the cost price
of a game is 25 dollars, Calculate the selling price of a game?
Solution:

The markup = 40% cost price

Markup = 40% 25

= 40 x 25100

= 10

Selling price= cost + markup

=10+25

= 35

Selling Price is 35 dollars.

Question 2: If the markup used by the shopkeeper is 40%, then find the cost of watch, selling
price for that is 63 dollars.
Solution:

Let us assume cost price is x.

markup = 40% of the cost, selling price will be the sum of markup and cost.

63 = x + (40100)x
63 = 1.40x
x =631.40

X= 45

So the cost for the shoes is 45 dollars.

Question 3: If a shopkeeper is using the markup as 50% on an item, then find the selling price of
that item if the cost is given as 100 dollars.
Solution:

Markup = 50% of the cost price

Markup = 50% of 100

= 50

selling price = cost + markup

= 100+50

= 150

So the selling price of the item is 150 dollars.

Mark down
A computer software retailer used a markup rate of 40%. Find the selling price of a computer game
that cost the retailer $25.

The markup is 40% of the $25 cost, so the markup is:

(0.40)(25) = 10
Then the selling price, being the cost plus markup, is:

25 + 10 = 35
The item sold for $35.
•A golf shop pays its wholesaler $40 for a certain club, and then sells it to a golfer for
$75. What is the markup rate?

First, I'll calculate the markup in absolute terms:

75 – 40 = 35
Then I'll find the relative markup over the original price, or the markup rate: ($35) is (some
percent) of ($40),

35 = (x)(40)
...so the relative markup over the original price is:

35 ÷ 40 = x = 0.875
Since x stands for a percentage, I need to remember to convert this decimal value to the
corresponding percentage.

The markup rate is 87.5%.

•A shoe store uses a 40% markup on cost. Find the cost of a pair of shoes that sells
for $63.

This problem is somewhat backwards. They gave me the selling price, which is cost plus
markup, and they gave me the markup rate, but they didn't tell me the actual cost or markup.
So I have to be clever to solve this.
I will let "x" be the cost. Then the markup, being 40% of the cost, is 0.40x. And the selling
price of $63 is the sum of the cost and markup, so:

63 = x + 0.40x
63 = 1x + 0.40x
63 = 1.40x
63 ÷ 1.40 = x = 45
The shoes cost the store $45.
•An item originally priced at $55 is marked 25% off. What is the sale price?

First, I'll find the markdown. The markdown is 25% of the original price of $55, so:
x = (0.25)(55) = 13.75
By subtracting this markdown from the original price, I can find the sale price:

55 – 13.75 = 41.25
The sale price is $41.25.
•An item that regularly sells for $425 is marked down to $318.75. What is the
discount rate?

First, I'll find the amount of the markdown:

425 – 318.75 = 106.25
Then I'll calculate "the markdown over the original price", or the markdown rate: ($106.25) is
(some percent) of ($425), so:
 106.25 = (x)(425)
...and the relative markdown over the original price is:

x = 106.25 ÷ 425 = 0.25

Since the "x" stands for a percentage, I need to remember to convert this decimal to
percentage form.

The markdown rate is 25%.

•An item is marked down 15%; the sale price is $127.46. What was the original price?

This problem is backwards. They gave me the sale price ($127.46) and the markdown rate
(15%), but neither the markdown amount nor the original price. I will let "x" stand for the
original price. Then the markdown, being 15% of this price, was 0.15x. And the sale price is
the original price, less the markdown, so I get:
x – 0.15x = 127.46
1x – 0.15x = 127.46
0.85x = 127.46
x = 127.46 ÷ 0.85 = 149.952941176...
This problem didn't state how to round the final answer, but dollars-and-cents is always
written with two decimal places, so:

The original price was $149.95.

Note in this last problem that I ended up, in the third line of calculations, with an equation that
said "eighty-five percent of the original price is $127.46". You can save yourself some time if you
think of discounts in this way: if the price is 15% off, then you're only actually paying 85%.
Similarly, if the price is 25% off, then you're paying 75%; if the price is 30% off, then you're paying
70%; and so on.

Profit/loss

1) Samy sold his dinning table set at a loss of 20%. If he had sold it for $ 800 more, he would have
received a profit of 5%. Find the cost price .

Solution :
Let the cost price be $ 100
So when C.P = 100 , loss of 20% means
S.P = 100 – 20 = 80
Profit of 5% means S.P = 100 + 5 = 105
The difference of two S.P = 105 - 80 = 25
If the difference is 25, C.P = $100
If the difference is $ 800 , C.P = (100 / 25 ) x 800
C.P = $ 3200

Example 2 : The cost of 11 pencils is equal to the selling price of 10 pencils. Find the loss or profit
percent, whatever may be the cost of 1 pencil.
Solution : The cost price of 11 pencils = S.P of 10 pencils
Let C.P of 1 pencil is $1 .
C.P of 10 pencils = $ 10
S.P of 10 pencils = C.P of 11 pencils = $ 11
Profit on 10 pencils = 11 – 10 = $1
Profit % = ( 1/ 10) x 100 = 10 %
Question 1:
A man buys a toy for Rs. 25 and sells it for Rs. 30. Find his gain/loss percentage.
Solution: As we can see, the Cost Price is smaller than Selling Price; therefore the person must
have had a profit on the total transaction. Therefore using the above mentioned formula

Question 2:

When an article is old at Rs. 910000, then the profit percentage amounts to 30%.
Determine the Cost Price.
Solution: When profit percentage is x%, in this case 30%,
Cost Price = 100
Selling Price = 100 + x = 100 + 30 = 130
The value of 130% is 910000, to find the value of Cost Price i.e. 100% the equation must be

A man bought a cycle for Rs. 250. For how much should he sell it so as to gain 10%?
Solution: As we have discussed above, the formula shows
Profit percentage = x% = 10%
Cost Price = 100
Selling Price = 100 + x = 100 + 10 = 110
Cost Price is provided to us as Rs. 250 and according to our calculation amounts to 100%. So, the
equation becomes