A business school reduced its class size by 16%, but then increased it

Question

A business school reduced its class size by 16%, but then increased it by 25% of the new amount. What was the net percent change in the size of the business school class?

(A) a 5% decrease
(B) a 9% decrease
(C) a 5% increase
(D) a 9% increase
(E) no net change

LeoN88 · Answer

Initial 100, reduced to 84.
New number is 84 * (5/4)= 105, so 5% net increase.

anud33p · Answer

For such questions, we can just use multipliers to speed up the calculation.

Assume the class size to be 100. The new size would be = 100 * 0.84 * 1.25 = 105. Hence,  5% increase. C is the answer .

KSBGC · Answer

16.........then 25

there will be a positive change.

So, option, A, B and E are eliminated.

25- 16 = 9.....thus i cancelled this option too

C is the correct answer.

anud33p · Answer

KSBGC : This approach - of judging whether it is going to be positive or negative without actually calculating - wouldn't always work

Think about the following scenario - the class size first decreases by 16% and then increases by 18%. Would you still say that there would be a net positive change? Cheers AA

KSBGC · Answer

you are correct . In % base is superb important. i used guessing technique in above cases but it won't work in all cases. the thing u need is experience. Someone dealing with % cases for long time can guess that there will be a positive change.

the class size first decreases by 16% and then increases by 18%.

here change is so close that there could be a negative change. guess .

Thnks.

anud33p · Answer

Haha, fair enough. I wouldn't doubt the discretion of a man who is into Finance & Accounting. You surely would have a better number sense than most

Cheers AA

Kinshook · Answer

Given:  A business school reduced its class size by 16%, but then increased it by 25% of the new amount.

Asked;  What was the net percent change in the size of the business school class?

Let the size of class be x

A business school reduced its class size by 16%,
Class size becomes (100%-16%) = .84x

then increased it by 25% of the new amount. 
Class size becomes = (100%+25%).84x = 1.25 * .84 x = 1.05x

1.05x = (100%+5%)x

There is overall increase of 5% in class size

IMO C

eakabuah · Answer

The class size decreased by 16%, meaning it has now become 0.84.
It is increased after the reduction by 25% means that the new class size is now 1.25*0.84
1.25*0.84= 0.125*8.4 = 8.4/8=1.05.
Hence the class has increased by 5%.

Answer is C.

Posted from my mobile device

Ilishar · Answer

Let the size of class be x 
X*0.84*1.25 = 1.05x

((1.05x - x)/x)* 100

Ans -> 5% increase

Posted from my mobile device

Archit3110 · Answer

let class = 100
so net effective change ; 100*.84*1.25 ; 105 ; i.e 5% increase from 100
IMO C

nishantkurup · Answer

Quick solution for consecutive percentage change - If something changes by a% and then b%, the  net percentage change = a + b + (ab/100)

-16 + 25 - (400/100) =  5%

Answer is C

Abhishek009 · Answer

-16 + 25 + \frac{(-16)(25)}{100}

= 9 - 4

= 5  , Answer must be (C)

NitishJain · Answer

Let class size be x.

after 16% dec, new class size = 0.84x
after 25% increase, new class size = 1.25* 0.84 *x = 1.05 x
=> 5% increase

C

A business school reduced its class size by 16%, but then increased it

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A business school reduced its class size by 16%, but then increased it

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