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Percentages Greater than 100%

Percentages Greater than 100%

Percentage amounts can be greater than 100. This simply means that the amount being compared is greater than the original amount.

Example 1

The power rating of a racing car engine is 600bhp (brake horse power). A new engine is rated at 120% of the previous version. What is the power rating of the new engine?

The old engine is 600bhp = 100%

The new engine is `= frac(120)(100) xx 600 = 720`bhp.

Answer: 720bhp

Example 2

Widgets are sold in packs of 50. A special offer is selling widgets in packs that contain 130% of the normal amount. How many extra widgets are in each pack?

The original pack is 50 widgets = 100%

The new pack is `frac(130)(100) xx 50 = 65` widgets

There are 65 - 50 = 15 extra widgets in each pack

Answer: 15