SAT Math · Percentages · medium
In a survey, support for a proposal increased from 40% to 46%. What is the increase in PERCENTAGE POINTS, and what is the PERCENT…
In a survey, support for a proposal increased from 40% to 46%. What is the increase in PERCENTAGE POINTS, and what is the PERCENT (relative) increase?
Answer and explanation
Answer: B: 6 percentage points and a 15% relative increase
Percentage points measure the plain difference between two percentages: percentage points. The relative (percent) increase compares the change with the starting value: . So the answer is B. Choice A treats the difference of 6 points as a 6% relative increase, which mixes up the two ideas. Choice C reports 46 points, which is the new level and not the change, and a 40% relative increase, which is the starting level. Choice D swaps the two numbers. Percentage points are used for differences between percents; percent change is relative to the original.
More Percentages questions
- Question 17 · easyAfter a 15% discount, a jacket costs $68. What was the original price of the jacket, before the…
- Question 39 · mediumA price is increased by 20% and then the new price is decreased by 25%. What is the overall…
- Question 160 · mediumAn item originally costs $80. A store marks up the price by 25%, then later offers a 20% discount…
- Question 161 · easyA student measures the length of a table as 47 centimeters. The actual length is 50 centimeters.…
- Question 181 · easyA school has 800 students, and 320 of them participate in the science club. What percent of the…
- Question 182 · mediumA restaurant bill, including an 8% tax, totals $70.20. What was the pre-tax amount of the bill, in…
Learn the method behind questions like this one
The SAT Math course teaches each tested skill through lessons, step-by-step solutions to sample problems, the complete study guide and full-length practice tests.