Basic Math Practice – Percent

Percent Practice Questions

Below are percent practice questions similar to what you will find on a standardized test.  A variety of different types of questions is given – some may be classified as number manipulation, word problems, arithmetic reasoning.

If you can do these problems, you should have no trouble doing percent questions on a standardized test!

1. 15 is what percent of 200?

a. 7.5%
b. 15%
c. 20%
d. 17.50%

2. A boy has 5 red balls, 3 white balls
and 2 yellow balls. What percent of the
balls are yellow?

a. 2%
b. 8%
c. 20%
d. 12%

3. Add 10% of 300 to 50% of 20

a. 50
b. 40
c. 60
d. 45

4. Convert 75% to a fraction.

a. 2/100
b. 85/100
c. 3/4
d. 4/7

5. Multiply 3 by 25% of 40.

a. 75
b. 30
c. 68
d. 35

6. What is 10% of 30 multiplied by 75% of 200?

a. 450
b. 750
c. 20
d. 45

7. Convert 4/20 to percent.

a. 25%
b. 20%
c. 40%
d. 30%

8. Convert 0.55 to percent.

a. 45%
b. 15%
c. 75%
d. 55%

9. What number is the largest? 

a. 5 % of 400
b. 25% of 4000
c. 2 % of 500
d. 8% of 1000

10.  In a class of 83 students, 72 are present. What percentage of the students are absent? Provide answer up to two significant digits.

a. 12
b. 13
c. 14
d. 15

11. What is 6 more than 50% of 50? 

a. 31
b. 41
c. 25
d. 26

12.  In a local election at polling station A, 945 voters cast their vote out of 1270 registered voters. At polling station B, 860 cast their vote out of 1050 registered voters and at station C, 1210 cast their vote out of 1440 registered voters. What is the total turnout including all three polling stations?

a. 70%
b. 74%
c. 76%
d. 80%

13. What is 25 more than 30% of 120? 

a. 75
b. 50
c. 61
d. 35

14. What is the smallest value?

a. 4 % of 4
b. 5 % of 5
c. 0.3% of 12
d. 1/5 of 100

15. 8 is what percent of 40?

a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 20%
d. 25%

16. A woman spent 15% of her income on an item and ends up with $120.
What percentage of her income is left?

a. 12%
b. 85%
c. 75%
d. 95%

17. .4% of 36 is

a. 1.44
b. .144
c. 14.4
d. 144

18. The price of a book went from $20 to $25. What percent did the price increase?

a. 5%
b. 10%
c. 20%
d. 25%

Answer Key

1. A
15/200 = X/100
200X = (15 * 100)
1500/200 Cancel zeroes in the numerator and denominator 15/2 = 7.5%.
Notice that the questions asks, What 15 is what percent of 200? The question does not ask, what is 15% of 200! The answers are very different.

2. C
Total no. of balls = 10, no. of yellow balls =
2, answer = 2/10 X 100 = 20%.

3. B
10% of 300 = 30 and 50% of 20 = 10 so 30 + 10 = 40.

4. C
75%= 75/100 = 3/4

5. B
25% of 40 = 10 and 10 x 3 = 30

6. A
10% of 30 = 3 and 75% of 200 = 150, 3 X
150 = 450

7. B
4/20 X 100 = 1/5 X 100 = 20%

8. D
0.55 X 100 = 55%

9. B
Here are the choices:

a. 5% of 400 = 20
b. 25% of 4000 = 1000
c. 2% of 500 = 10
d. 8% of 1000 = 80
B is the largest.

10. B
Absent students = 83 – 72 = 11
Percentage of  absent students =   11/83 X 100 = 13.25
Reducing up to two significant digits it will be 13.

11. A
50% of 50 = 25 + 6 = 31

12. D
Total votes cast = 945 + 860 + 1210 = 3015
Total registered voters at all 3 polling stations = 1270 + 1050 + 1440 = 3760
Turnout = 3015/3760 X 100 = 80%

13. C
30% of 120 = 36 + 25 = 61

14. C
Here are the choices: 
a. 4% of 4 = .16
b. 5% of 5 = 0.25
c. 0.3% of 12 = 0.036
d. 1/5 of 100 = 20
C is the smallest.

15. C
This is an easy question, and shows how you can solve some questions without
doing the calculations. The question is, 8 is what percent of 40. Take easy percentages
for an approximate answer and see what you get.

10% is easy to calculate because you can drop the zero, or move the decimal point.
10% of 40 = 4, and 8 = 2 X 4, so, 8 must be 2 X 10% = 20%.
Here are the calculations which confirm the quick approximation.
8/40 = X/100 = 8 * 100 / 40X = 800/40 = X = 20

16. B
Spent 15% – 100% – 15% = 85%

17. B
.4/100 * 36 = .4 * 36/100 = .144

18. D
Price increased by $5 ($25-$20). to calculate
the percent increase:
5/20 = X/100
500 = 20X
X = 500/20
X = 25%

Written by: Brian Stocker MA, Complete Test Preparation Inc.
Modified: September 21st, 2017
Published: March 27th, 2014