Percentage Increase

MathematicsAQAEdexcelGCSEUnit: Ratio & Proportion
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The basics

The Pay Rise Problem

📈 The Pay Rise Problem

Sarah earns £24,000 per year and gets a 15% pay rise. How much does she earn now?

This is a percentage increase problem - we need to find the new amount after an increase. Whether it's pay rises, price increases, or population growth, the multiplier method makes these calculations simple and reliable.

What is a percentage increase?: Finding a new amount after adding a percentage to the original amount
Key terms

Mathematics glossary

What is a percentage increase?
Finding a new amount after adding a percentage to the original amount
Exam tip

Earn the mark scheme marks

💡 Exam Tips: Percentage Increase

  • Always add 1 to the percentage (as decimal) to get the multiplier
  • Check your multiplier - it should always be greater than 1 for increases
  • Show your working - write out the multiplier calculation
  • Round sensibly - money to nearest penny, people to whole numbers
  • Check your answer - new amount should be bigger than original
  • Look for key words: "increase", "rise", "growth", "more than"
  • Watch units - keep them consistent throughout

Now try it yourself

Quiz · Question 1 of 12

What multiplier is used to increase a value by 15%?

Tap an answer to check it

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