Question

This is embarrassing.. went to a Hobby Lobby job interview.. and flunked the math test.. ack! this involved percentages..how do you get 66% off of a total, and like tax % 7.5 we are not allowed to use a calculator

Answer 1

66% off would be the

original price - .66(original price)

7.5% tax would be .075(price)

So the total would be

(1 + .075)(1-.66)price

Answer 2

Thank you Polpak... and to further show how bad I am at this.. do you multiply the -.66 from the original price? and like wise with the tax?

Answer 3

I am very right brained..not so left.

Answer 4

i'm not sure what you mean. when you see a term in parentheses though, that does mean multiply.

or if you want to think of it another way:
66% off = 34% of the original price = .34 * price

Answer 5

Heisenberg, thank you.. I'll see if that works , for my brain ..

Answer 6

This is what I came up with... 20.00 original price, 66% off would be 13.20 off leaving the price of 6.80??

Answer 7

that's right!

Answer 8

Really?!?! Goodie!! wow.. I'm encouraged..:)
I will try another one..

Answer 9

Ok... On the total of 6.80 and if the tax is 7.5% that tax total would be .90 ?

Answer 10

not quite. you may have just messed up the multiplication. the equation is .075 * 6.8

Answer 11

Ok.. I think I messed up yet again.. here is what I did.. 6.80 x .075 came up with 50000 and I don't know where to put the decimal, and I think the .075 is that the 7.5 percent for tax?

Answer 12

well you should have gotten 51000 ;)

as far as the decimal place goes, the number of places after the decimal in the answer will be equal to the total number of places after the decimal in the operation.

the operation is: 6.80 * .075
there are 5 total places after the decimal point in that operation.

so you would need 5 spots for the decimal point in the answer. start at the right and count over 5 places. put a decimal there :)

Answer 13

Ok.. I was right in thinking about places to count over for the decimal... but I messed up the multiplication or the adding.. I can paint portraits..*L* I'll keep working on this.. thank you. I'll do another.

Answer 14

no problem

Answer 15

This is my next "thing" 27.99 and 30% off... I come up with 7.60 off making the price at 20.39 ... now if I didn't mess that up.. I did for sure on this.. taking 7.5 %tax I came up with an insane number of 152925 and if I put the decimal four slots over, I came up with 15. 29 which even in this economy is WRONG! what did I do..

Answer 16

i have to run for a minute, but!

27.99 * .3 = 8.397
so you may want to try that again

this may be a good piece of info to know. converting a percentage to a decimal:
7.5 % = .075

Answer 17

thank you I will keep you in mind.. STARS!!! FANS for you.. I will keep working

Answer 18

ok... I think I got the 30% .3 I did that on paper, got the same thing you did.. yeah!!!! I took the balance of 19.60 and multiplied .075 and got 1.47000 or 1.47 is that right?

Answer 19

Ok.. trying another.. 27.99 @ 15% off, is... 27.99 x .15? = 4.19 and that would be 23.80? and 7.5% tax on that would be..1.78 ?

Answer 20

good thing I didn't apply for a bank job! *LOL*

Answer 21

This is how I figured out the 15%.. 10 is 1/10 of the dollar.. .05 is *L* Five cents.. and If I had 17.00 item.. and needed 15 % off.. I went about it.. 1.70 for the 10% and took .05 x 17 = .85 added the two.. 2.55 for the 15%... is this right or wrong.. and its really hard to think and keep all of it straight. is the 15% .15?

Answer 22

Did I get it right? and welcome back. I will be doing this stuff all weekend.. I just want to make sure I get the formula right.. can't be that different than making brownies!! gr

Answer 23

yup 15% of $17 is $2.55

there is a really good online calculator at http://www.wolframalpha.com/ if you want to check things like that. but i am happy to help too.

Answer 24

I really need to know the formulas down pat.. some interviews.. will not let you use a calculator, and well, I don't understand the calculators all that well..

Answer 25

I got the 15% ? right? Woohoo.. Is there a way I can scan work, and send it so you could check my work?

Answer 26

If I get one page of problems right.. I'll be thrilled

Answer 27

sure. you can post any problems you have here and upload attachments with them. if i'm not around, i'm sure plenty of people will be here able to help :)

Answer 28

Thank you very much.. you're more understandable than PolPack though I appreciated what he tried to help me with.. I was able to utilize your info better. Hope to run into you again.. have a great weekend!