V.Simple maths problem help...

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If a gas bill has gone up 10% to £132, what was the previous bill. Show workings please.

Its primary school stuff and its making my brain hurt. I know the answer but how do you work these out in a simple equation.
 
Think of £132 as 110% (100% (what it was) + 10% (the increase))

Then workout what 1% is:
132/110 = £1.2

from this little calculation you can now select what increase/decrease as you desire in any future percentage problem, in your case 100%:
1.2 * 100 = £120

Checking:
120/100 = £1.2

1.2 * 110 = £132
QED.
 
Superb guys! Here is another: I only got a c at GCSE lol

A washing machine cycke takes 75 minutes and then the clothes need 80 minutes in the tumble dryer. The two machines can run at the same time, but clothes cant be put in the dryer until they have been washed. How long will it take to wash and dry 4 loads?

Cheers
 
Spit said:
Superb guys! Here is another: I only got a c at GCSE lol

A washing machine cycke takes 75 minutes and then the clothes need 80 minutes in the tumble dryer. The two machines can run at the same time, but clothes cant be put in the dryer until they have been washed. How long will it take to wash and dry 4 loads?

Cheers
75+80+80+80+80=395 minutes, right?
 
BillytheImpaler said:
75+80+80+80+80=395 minutes, right?

ignore lol

The clothes have to be washed first so that takes 75 minutes....then they are put in the dryer for 80 minutes,while that load are drying another can be put in to wash and be done by the time the clothes are dry....so em...aye

75+80+ argh **** it!
 
lol - I just got back from tutoring my flatmate's little brother who's in 2nd year at high school in scotland - equivalent to the year before GCSEs I think - and these kinds of questions were in what he's doing. Things like calculating pre-VAT prices and stuff were coming up lots.

it's as said before 132/1.1 = 120
 
i don't think simple things like cancelling fractions properly are taught in the primary schools anymore.

kids are crap at algebra - I don't think they see it at all until high school.
 
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