Ok, who here is a math wiz?| Off-Topic Discussion forum |

DrBoost Dork
3/30/10 9:52 p.m.

No, I didn't say meth wiz. So, I was taking an assessment test to go to school and there was an Algebra section. Now, I'm almost 20 years out of HS and Algebra was NEVER my strong suit but some of the questions, I didn't even know what the question was. I wrote down one of the questions that just didn't make any freaking sense but there were some that were lots harder. So, if you know the answer I'd like to know how you came to it, and why the %&@! do you even know this crap?
Here's the question, word for word: "What % of X is 20% of 110% of X?

Seriously, is that even a question?

AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/30/10 10:04 p.m.

sure, it's a question. let's simplify it a little by removing the words "% of X":

what is 20% of 110?

answer: 22

so the answer to the complete question is 22%

RedS13Coupe Reader
3/30/10 10:11 p.m.

22 percent.

20% of something is 0.20 times that thing

110% of something is 1.10times that thing

so basically

Some percent of x = 20% of 110% of x

110% of x is 1.10* X

20% of that is 0.20(1.10X)

multiplication is transitive, so that is the same as .20 * 1.10 * X

Which is .22 * X

.22 = 22%

So what percent of X is equal to 22 percent of X?

As far as why I even know this crap... Because I passed highschool Seriously though, easy problem, confusing situation. Its not even so much about doing math or algebra as it is being able to sort though a complex question.

Edit: I guess I type too slow. Also, the whole "You can't start a new line with out a line break" thing makes it really hard some times :P

mtn SuperDork
3/30/10 11:17 p.m.

I hate hard-worded questions like that. I'm a math major and had to read through that about 3 times before I figured out what it was asking.

Luke SuperDork
3/30/10 11:19 p.m.

Yeah, the question reads confusingly, but they've only given you two figures to work with. So, it's gotta be something fairly simple. At least, that's how I like to look at it, not being very mathematically-inclined .

DrBoost Dork
3/30/10 11:20 p.m.

mtn wrote: I hate hard-worded questions like that. I'm a math major and had to read through that about 3 times before I figured out what it was asking.

Thank you man! I felt like an idiot reading the other answers. I read it and thought "it isn't asking a question, it looks like a bite of Alpha-Bits". Funny thing is, in the Reading Comprehension component of the test I scored 99% so I know I can read and understand.