GCSE · Percentages & growth

Reverse percentagesExam-style questions

How to find the original amount before a percentage change, and why you must divide by the multiplier rather than apply the percentage to the new amount.

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18 questions · GCSE (Higher) level · mark scheme and worked solution on each · no sign-up to try

DifficultyAll Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

1
After a 5% pay rise, a teacher's salary is £26 250.

(a) Work out the salary before the rise.

(b) The following year the salary rises again, to £27 300. Work out the percentage rise in that second year.
Level 4 · 4 marksTry it
2
A plumber's bill is £312, which includes VAT charged at 20%. Work out the amount of VAT charged.
Level 4 · 3 marksTry it
3
A phone is reduced by 30% in a sale to £154. Nadia says the original price was £200.20, because she worked out 30% of £154 and added it on.

(a) Explain the error in Nadia's method.

(b) Work out the correct original price.
Level 4 · 3 marksTry it
4
The price of a train ticket rose by $8\%$ this year. It now costs £ $5.94$ .

Work out the price of the ticket before the rise.
Level 4 · 2 marksTry it
5
A restaurant bill comes to £ $456$ , which includes VAT charged at $20\%$ .

(a) Work out the amount of the bill before VAT was added.

(b) Work out the amount of VAT charged.
Level 4 · 3 marksTry it

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