GRE Math : How to find the whole from the part

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : Whole And Part

36 is what percent of 145

Possible Answers:

403%

24.8%

2.48%

36%

40.3%

Correct answer:

24.8%

Explanation:

divide: 36/145 = 0.248; multiply by 100 to get percent

24.8%

Example Question #21 : Percentage

36 is x% of 133.  What is x

Possible Answers:

27

10

42

19

22.4

Correct answer:

27

Explanation:

36 is x% of 133

that means that 36 = (x%)(133)

x% = 36/133 X 100 = 27%

Example Question #22 : Percentage

Max walks 1 mile in 15 minutes. Belinda takes only 12 minutes to walk 1 mile. If Max and Belinda leave their homes at the same time, how far has Belinda walked when Max has walked 1 mile?

Possible Answers:

4/3 mile

3/4 mile

5/4 mile

3/2 mile

1 mile

Correct answer:

5/4 mile

Explanation:

Belinda walks faster than Max, so she should walk over a mile in the same time that Max walks 1 mile. We can eliminate the answer choices that aren't over a mile. It takes Max 3 minutes longer to walk a mile, so Belinda will walk for 3 more minutes after she finishes her first mile. If she walks 1 mile in 12 minutes, she walks 1/12 miles in 1 minute, or 3/12 = 1/4 mile in 3 minutes. So she walks 1 1/4 miles, or 5/4 miles.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Whole From The Part

If  is what percent of ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Let's first pick numbers.  If y = 25, x = 100.  It's tempting to pick 25% as the answer, but x is greater than y, so the percentage must be greater than 100%.  x is four times y, or 400% of y.

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