This exam tips covers Exam Tips: Reverse Percentages within Reverse Percentages for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Reverse Percentages in Ratio & Proportion for GCSE Mathematics with 12 exam-style questions and 22 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 5 of 6 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
💡 Exam Tips: Reverse Percentages
- Identify what the given amount represents - is it after an increase or decrease?
- Calculate the percentage the final amount represents of the original
- Use division - divide the final amount by the multiplier
- Always check your answer by working forwards
- Look for key phrases: "after", "including", "final amount", "reduced to"
- Be careful with direction - decrease means final < 100%, increase means final > 100%
- Show your working - state what percentage the final amount represents
Practice questions for Reverse Percentages
A price after a 20% increase is £120. Which calculation finds the ORIGINAL price?
A TV costs £360 after a 10% increase. A student says: 'The original price was £360 - 10% = £360 - £36 = £324.' Explain the error in the student's method. What is the correct original price?
Quick recall flashcards
Give three examples of when you'd use reverse percentages
Finding original prices before sales, pre-tax amounts, original values before depreciation
What is a reverse percentage?
Finding the original amount before a percentage change was applied