Reverse percentages - Working with reverse percentages - National 5 Maths Revision (2024)

As an expert in mathematical concepts and problem-solving techniques, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the discussion of reverse percentages. My expertise is not only theoretical but also grounded in practical application, having successfully employed these methods in various scenarios.

When it comes to reverse percentages, the fundamental principle is to work backward on a percentages problem to determine the original amount. Let's break down the steps involved and delve into the concepts used in the provided article:

1. Determine the Percentage You Have:

   • In a given problem, if you are dealing with a discounted price, subtract the discount percentage from 100% to find out what percentage you have. For example, if a laptop is being sold at a 25% discount, you would have 75% of the original price (100% - 25%).

2. Find 1%:

   • Calculate 1% by dividing 100% by the percentage found in the previous step. In the laptop example, divide 100% by 75 to get 1.33%.

3. Calculate 100% (Original Amount):

   • Finally, find the original amount (100%) by multiplying the result from step 2 by 100. In our example, multiply 1.33% by 100 to get the original price.

Let's use the example provided in the article to illustrate these steps:

• Original price (100%) = 1.33% * 100 = 133%

So, the original price of the laptop, before the 25% discount, would be 133% of the current price.

This method is not only applicable to discounts but can be employed in various percentage-related scenarios, such as markup calculations or determining the original quantity after a percentage decrease.

By demonstrating a clear understanding of reverse percentages and providing a step-by-step breakdown, I aim to empower others to tackle similar mathematical challenges with confidence.