Percentages without panic
Find a percentage, calculate a discount, and check your answer.
Percent means out of one hundred
Twenty percent is 20 out of 100, or 0.20. To find 20% of 45, multiply 0.20 × 45 = 9.
Estimate first: 10% of 45 is 4.5, so 20% is twice that. Estimation can catch a misplaced decimal.
A discount is the amount taken off
An $80 item is 15% off. The discount is 0.15 × 80 = $12. Subtract it: 80 − 12 = $68, before tax.
Check what the question asks. The discount and the final price are different answers. Keep units, such as dollars, in your answer.
Your turn.
Try each question before opening the explanation. These are FinishHigh practice examples, not GED® test questions.
What is 25% of 64?
Show the answer and why
16. Calculate 0.25 × 64, or find a quarter of 64.
A $50 jacket is 30% off. What is its price before tax?
Show the answer and why
$35. The discount is 0.30 × 50 = $15; subtract 15 from 50.
A value rises from 40 to 50. What is the percentage increase?
Show the answer and why
25%. Divide the increase, 10, by the original value, 40, then multiply by 100.
Trusted sources and further study
Sources guide the topics and factual information. The lesson wording, examples, and questions are original FinishHigh material.
- Math study booklet ↗GED Testing Service · checked 2026-10-07
- Khan Academy skill practice ↗Khan Academy · checked 2026-10-07
- Light & Salt GED® Math test Crash Course ↗Light & Salt Learning · checked 2026-10-07
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