UCAT percentage change questions
Percentage change = change ÷ original × 100. Divide by the starting value, never the new one. A rise from 100 to 125 is 25%; a fall from 125 to 100 is 20%. Try two below.
Quantitative Reasoning · Question 1 of 20:00 / 0:43
Membership of the Alder club rises from 100 to 125. What is the percentage increase?
Use multipliers
| Change | Multiply by |
|---|---|
| Up 12% | 1.12 |
| Down 15% | 0.85 |
| Up 5% then up 5% | 1.05 × 1.05 = 1.1025 |
Two rises of 5% make 10.25%, not 10%. Chain the multipliers rather than adding percentages.
Back to the original
If £138 is after a 15% rise, the original is 138 ÷ 1.15 = £120. Taking 15% off £138 gives £117.30, the classic wrong answer.
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