Digital SATMath: Problem-Solving and Data AnalysisEasy
A survey of 500 high school students found that 60% prefer online learning, 25% prefer in-person learning, and the rest have no preference. How many students have no preference?
- A50
- B75
- C100
- D125
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. 75
The percentage of students with no preference is 100% - 60% - 25% = 15%. Then, calculate 15% of 500 students, which is 0.15 * 500 = 75 students.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This might be 10% of 500, possibly from a miscalculation of the remaining percentage.
- C. This might be 20% of 500, indicating an incorrect calculation of the remaining percentage (e.g., 100 - 60 - 20 = 20).
- D. This option might be 25% of 500, which is the number of students preferring in-person learning, not no preference.
Percentage of a Whole
The percentage of a whole represents a part of a total quantity expressed as a fraction of 100.
- All percentages of parts must sum to 100% for the whole.
- To find the quantity, multiply the percentage (as a decimal) by the total.
- Useful for breaking down populations or distributions.
Memory trick: Total is 100%, subtract what you know to find the rest.