Compare quantities using percent-more/percent-less statements.
Free, timed SHSAT practice sets on percent comparison— every question includes a full worked explanation, and there's no account required.
Loading questions…
The number after "than" is the base.
To find what percent more, divide the difference by the base:
\(\text{percent more} = \dfrac{A - B}{B} \times 100\)
Example: Elena scored 260 and Liam scored 250. Elena's score is \(\tfrac{10}{250} = 4\%\) greater than Liam's.
The base matters. If A has 180 and B has 150, A has \(\tfrac{30}{150} = 20\%\) more than B, but B has only \(\tfrac{30}{180} \approx 16.7\%\) less than A. The difference is the same; the base changed.
Trap: dividing by the wrong number. In the example, \(10 \div 260 \approx 3.85\%\) is a wrong answer choice.
Percent more \(= (A - B) \div B \times 100 = (37 - 20) \div 20 \times 100 = 85\%\). (Dividing by James's score instead of Wei's (\(17 \div 37 \times 100\)) gives about 45.95%. Finding what percent 37 is of 20 gives 185%. Writing the 17-point difference as a percent gives 17%.) James's score is 85% greater than Wei's.
Percent more \(= (A - B) \div B \times 100 = (504 - 288) \div 288 \times 100 = 75\%\). (Dividing by Priya's score instead of Fatima's (\(216 \div 504 \times 100\)) gives about 42.86%. Finding what percent 504 is of 288 gives 175%. Writing the 216-point difference as a percent gives 216%.) Priya's score is 75% greater than Fatima's.