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Math: Number Theory - Percents 25 Mar 2013, 14:09
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Is there an easy way to do 1.03^8, than multiplying 1.03 8 times? I am slow at calculations
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 25 Mar 2013, 14:50
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The GMAT won't ask you to calculate that number, maybe you need just an approximation...

\((1.03)^8=(1.03)^4(1.03)^4=(1.03)^2*(...)=(1+0.03)^2*(...)=(1+0.0009+0.06)*(...)=~(1.06)(1.06)(1.06)(1.06)=~1.12*1.12=~1.25\)
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 11 Jul 2013, 00:11
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Bumping for review*.

*New project from GMAT Club!!! Check HERE

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Math: Number Theory - Percents 26 Oct 2014, 09:34
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Hi,
Nice post ... ready reckoner :)
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 17 Feb 2016, 04:38
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Great Post and thanks Bunuel for sharing it!

I have one question based on the following question:

Example: If $20,000 is invested at 12% annual interest, compounded quarterly, what is the balance after 2 year?
Solution: Balance=20,000∗(1+0.12/4)^2∗4=Balance=20,000∗(1+0.12/4)^2∗4=
=20,000∗(1.03)^8=25,335.4

20,000∗(1.03)^8: How am I supposed to perform this calculation in less than 2 minutes? there must be a shortcut in order to avoid perform the exponents.

Does someone knows something about?

Thanks in advance!
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 17 Feb 2016, 04:42
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Great Post and thanks Bunuel for sharing it!

I have one question based on the following question:

Example: If $20,000 is invested at 12% annual interest, compounded quarterly, what is the balance after 2 year?
Solution: Balance=20,000∗(1+0.12/4)^2∗4=Balance=20,000∗(1+0.12/4)^2∗4=
=20,000∗(1.03)^8=25,335.4

20,000∗(1.03)^8: How am I supposed to perform this calculation in less than 2 minutes? there must be a shortcut in order to avoid perform the exponents.

Does someone knows something about?

Thanks in advance!
Show more

Please read the whole thread: math-number-theory-percents-91708-40.html#p1202382

Thank you.
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 17 Feb 2016, 08:20
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Great Post and thanks Bunuel for sharing it!

I have one question based on the following question:

Example: If $20,000 is invested at 12% annual interest, compounded quarterly, what is the balance after 2 year?
Solution: Balance=20,000∗(1+0.12/4)^2∗4=Balance=20,000∗(1+0.12/4)^2∗4=
=20,000∗(1.03)^8=25,335.4

20,000∗(1.03)^8: How am I supposed to perform this calculation in less than 2 minutes? there must be a shortcut in order to avoid perform the exponents.

Does someone knows something about?

Thanks in advance!

Please read the whole thread: math-number-theory-percents-91708-40.html#p1202382

Thank you.
Show more


Already read it, I but don't get the easyness :P
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 17 Feb 2016, 09:07
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pepo
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pepo
Great Post and thanks Bunuel for sharing it!

I have one question based on the following question:

Example: If $20,000 is invested at 12% annual interest, compounded quarterly, what is the balance after 2 year?
Solution: Balance=20,000∗(1+0.12/4)^2∗4=Balance=20,000∗(1+0.12/4)^2∗4=
=20,000∗(1.03)^8=25,335.4

20,000∗(1.03)^8: How am I supposed to perform this calculation in less than 2 minutes? there must be a shortcut in order to avoid perform the exponents.

Does someone knows something about?

Thanks in advance!

Please read the whole thread: math-number-theory-percents-91708-40.html#p1202382

Thank you.


Already read it, I but don't get the easyness :P
Show more

You are considering this question in complete vacuum and as such not helping yourself in understanding the nuances involved.

You can also look at it this way: for any period >1 , compound interest > simple interest (or CI is JUST greater than SI) for the same rate.

Rate of interest for quarterly compounding = 12/3 = 3%

Number of quarters in 2 years = 8

Thus SI for this= 20000*3*8/100 = 4800 ---> balance after 2 years = 20000+4800=24800 and hence the final answer will be just greater than 24800. Now in GMAT PS, if the options given to you are spread far apart, then this approximation will give you the correct answer.

But if not, then use the binomial theorem to calculate \((1.03)^8\): \((1.03)^8 = (1+0.03)^8 = 1^8*(0.03)^0+8*1^7*(0.03)^1+28*1^6*(0.03)^2\).... (this last term and the following terms will have 0.03 in 0.03^3 and higher powers making these terms very small compared with others, so neglect them).

Thus, \((1.03)^8 = (1+0.03)^8 = 1^8*(0.03)^0+8*1^7*(0.03)^1 = 1+0.24 \approx\) 1.24

Hope this helps.

P.S.: Binomial theorem expansion for \((a+b)^n = \sum_{\substack{0\leq k\leq n}} \binom{n}{k} a^n*b^k\), where \(\binom{n}{k} = {C^n_k}\)
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 17 Feb 2016, 09:59
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Thanks for the reply!

I haven't heard about binomial theorem so I thing I will go for approximation.
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 13 Jun 2020, 11:20
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Ladies and gents,

Even though I red this article and, in addition, red percents chapter in MGMT, I still face difficulties to solve percents questions when practicing with GMAT type questions. This means that I have conceptual gaps. Can you please advise in depth resource for percents for newbies like me?
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 29 Jan 2021, 01:54
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Bunuel
PERCENTS

This post is a part of [GMAT MATH BOOK]

created by: Bunuel
edited by: bb, walker


--------------------------------------------------------
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The only app you need to get 700+ score!

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--------------------------------------------------------

Definition

A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100 (per cent meaning "per hundred"). It is often denoted using the percent sign, "%", or the abbreviation "pct". Since a percent is an amount per 100, percents can be represented as fractions with a denominator of 100. For example, 25% means 25 per 100, 25/100 and 350% means 350 per 100, 350/100.

• A percent can be represented as a decimal. The following relationship characterizes how percents and decimals interact. Percent Form / 100 = Decimal Form

For example: What is 2% represented as a decimal?
Percent Form / 100 = Decimal Form: 2%/100=0.02

Percent change

General formula for percent increase or decrease, (percent change):


\(Percent=\frac{Change}{Original}*100\)

Example: A company received $2 million in royalties on the first $10 million in sales and then $8 million in royalties on the next $100 million in sales. By what percent did the ratio of royalties to sales decrease from the first $10 million in sales to the next $100 million in sales?

Solution: Percent decrease can be calculated by the formula above:
\(Percent=\frac{Change}{Original}*100=\)
\(=\frac{\frac{2}{10}-\frac{8}{100}}{\frac{2}{10}}*100=60%\), so the royalties decreased by 60%.


Simple Interest

Simple interest = principal * interest rate * time, where "principal" is the starting amount and "rate" is the interest rate at which the money grows per a given period of time (note: express the rate as a decimal in the formula). Time must be expressed in the same units used for time in the Rate.

Example: If $15,000 is invested at 10% simple annual interest, how much interest is earned after 9 months?
Solution: $15,000*0.1*9/12 = $1125


Compound Interest

\(Balance(final)=\)
\(=principal*(1+\frac{interest}{C})^{time*C}\), where C = the number of times compounded annually.

If C=1, meaning that interest is compounded once a year, then the formula will be: \(Balance(final)=\)
\(principal*(1+interest)^{time}\), where time is number of years.

Example: If $20,000 is invested at 12% annual interest, compounded quarterly, what is the balance after 2 year?
Solution: \(Balance=20,000*(1+\frac{0.12}{4})^{2*4}=\)
\(=20,000*(1.03)^8=25,335.4\)


Percentile

If someone's grade is in \(x_{th}\) percentile of the \(n\) grades, this means that \(x%\) of people out of \(n\) has the grades less than this person.

Example: Lena’s grade was in the 80th percentile out of 120 grades in her class. In another class of 200 students there were 24 grades higher than Lena’s. If nobody had Lena’s grade, then Lena was what percentile of the two classes combined?

Solution:
Being in 80th percentile out of 120 grades means Lena outscored \(120*0.8=96\) classmates.

In another class she would outscored \(200-24=176\) students.

So, in combined classes she outscored \(96+176=272\). As there are total of \(120+200=320\) students, so Lena is in \(\frac{272}{320}=0.85=85%\), or in 85th percentile.


Official GMAC Books:

The Official Guide, 12th Edition: PS #10; PS #17; PS #19; PS #47; PS #55; PS #60; PS #64; PS #78; PS #92; PS #94; PS #109; PS #111; PS #115; PS #124; PS #128; PS #131; PS #151; PS #156; PS #166; PS #187; PS #193; PS #200; PS #202; PS #220; DS #2; DS #7; DS #21; DS #37; DS #48; DS #55; DS #61; DS #63; DS #78; DS #88; DS #92; DS #120; DS #138; DS #142; DS #143;

Generated from [GMAT ToolKit]

--------------------------------------------------------
Get The Official GMAT Club's App - GMAT TOOLKIT 2.
The only app you need to get 700+ score!

[iOS App] [Android App]

--------------------------------------------------------

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Attachment:
Math_icon_percents.png
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Thank you for covering this topic! I was wondering, since you gave the equation for just the interest gained for simple interest and the equation for the total balance for compound interest, what are the equations for:

1) total balance with simple interest and
2) just the interest gained with compound interest?

I hope that makes sense. Thank you!
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 04 Dec 2023, 14:34
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Bunuel
PERCENTS

This post is a part of [GMAT MATH BOOK]

created by: Bunuel
edited by: bb, walker


--------------------------------------------------------
Get The Official GMAT Club's App - GMAT TOOLKIT 2.
The only app you need to get 700+ score!

[iOS App] [Android App]

--------------------------------------------------------

Definition

A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100 (per cent meaning "per hundred"). It is often denoted using the percent sign, "%", or the abbreviation "pct". Since a percent is an amount per 100, percents can be represented as fractions with a denominator of 100. For example, 25% means 25 per 100, 25/100 and 350% means 350 per 100, 350/100.

• A percent can be represented as a decimal. The following relationship characterizes how percents and decimals interact. Percent Form / 100 = Decimal Form

For example: What is 2% represented as a decimal?
Percent Form / 100 = Decimal Form: 2%/100=0.02

Percent change

General formula for percent increase or decrease, (percent change):


\(Percent=\frac{Change}{Original}*100\)

Example: A company received $2 million in royalties on the first $10 million in sales and then $8 million in royalties on the next $100 million in sales. By what percent did the ratio of royalties to sales decrease from the first $10 million in sales to the next $100 million in sales?

Solution: Percent decrease can be calculated by the formula above:
\(Percent=\frac{Change}{Original}*100=\)
\(=\frac{\frac{2}{10}-\frac{8}{100}}{\frac{2}{10}}*100=60%\), so the royalties decreased by 60%.


Simple Interest

Simple interest = principal * interest rate * time, where "principal" is the starting amount and "rate" is the interest rate at which the money grows per a given period of time (note: express the rate as a decimal in the formula). Time must be expressed in the same units used for time in the Rate.

Example: If $15,000 is invested at 10% simple annual interest, how much interest is earned after 9 months?
Solution: $15,000*0.1*9/12 = $1125


Compound Interest

\(Balance(final)=\)
\(=principal*(1+\frac{interest}{C})^{time*C}\), where C = the number of times compounded annually.

If C=1, meaning that interest is compounded once a year, then the formula will be: \(Balance(final)=\)
\(principal*(1+interest)^{time}\), where time is number of years.

Example: If $20,000 is invested at 12% annual interest, compounded quarterly, what is the balance after 2 year?
Solution: \(Balance=20,000*(1+\frac{0.12}{4})^{2*4}=\)
\(=20,000*(1.03)^8=25,335.4\)


Percentile

If someone's grade is in \(x_{th}\) percentile of the \(n\) grades, this means that \(x%\) of people out of \(n\) has the grades less than this person.

Example: Lena’s grade was in the 80th percentile out of 120 grades in her class. In another class of 200 students there were 24 grades higher than Lena’s. If nobody had Lena’s grade, then Lena was what percentile of the two classes combined?

Solution:
Being in 80th percentile out of 120 grades means Lena outscored \(120*0.8=96\) classmates.

In another class she would outscored \(200-24=176\) students.

So, in combined classes she outscored \(96+176=272\). As there are total of \(120+200=320\) students, so Lena is in \(\frac{272}{320}=0.85=85%\), or in 85th percentile.


Official GMAC Books:

The Official Guide, 12th Edition: PS #10; PS #17; PS #19; PS #47; PS #55; PS #60; PS #64; PS #78; PS #92; PS #94; PS #109; PS #111; PS #115; PS #124; PS #128; PS #131; PS #151; PS #156; PS #166; PS #187; PS #193; PS #200; PS #202; PS #220; DS #2; DS #7; DS #21; DS #37; DS #48; DS #55; DS #61; DS #63; DS #78; DS #88; DS #92; DS #120; DS #138; DS #142; DS #143;

Generated from [GMAT ToolKit]

--------------------------------------------------------
Get The Official GMAT Club's App - GMAT TOOLKIT 2.
The only app you need to get 700+ score!

[iOS App] [Android App]

--------------------------------------------------------

Show Spoiler
Attachment:
Math_icon_percents.png
Show more

Great post Bunuel, wondering how is "In another class of 200 students there were 24 grades higher than Lena’s" interpret as \(200-24=176\) ? and not \(200+24 \) instead ? Could you kindly help clarify? Thanks
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 04 Dec 2023, 15:06
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Bunuel
PERCENTS

This post is a part of [GMAT MATH BOOK]

created by: Bunuel
edited by: bb, walker


--------------------------------------------------------
Get The Official GMAT Club's App - GMAT TOOLKIT 2.
The only app you need to get 700+ score!

[iOS App] [Android App]

--------------------------------------------------------

Definition

A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100 (per cent meaning "per hundred"). It is often denoted using the percent sign, "%", or the abbreviation "pct". Since a percent is an amount per 100, percents can be represented as fractions with a denominator of 100. For example, 25% means 25 per 100, 25/100 and 350% means 350 per 100, 350/100.

• A percent can be represented as a decimal. The following relationship characterizes how percents and decimals interact. Percent Form / 100 = Decimal Form

For example: What is 2% represented as a decimal?
Percent Form / 100 = Decimal Form: 2%/100=0.02

Percent change

General formula for percent increase or decrease, (percent change):


\(Percent=\frac{Change}{Original}*100\)

Example: A company received $2 million in royalties on the first $10 million in sales and then $8 million in royalties on the next $100 million in sales. By what percent did the ratio of royalties to sales decrease from the first $10 million in sales to the next $100 million in sales?

Solution: Percent decrease can be calculated by the formula above:
\(Percent=\frac{Change}{Original}*100=\)
\(=\frac{\frac{2}{10}-\frac{8}{100}}{\frac{2}{10}}*100=60%\), so the royalties decreased by 60%.


Simple Interest

Simple interest = principal * interest rate * time, where "principal" is the starting amount and "rate" is the interest rate at which the money grows per a given period of time (note: express the rate as a decimal in the formula). Time must be expressed in the same units used for time in the Rate.

Example: If $15,000 is invested at 10% simple annual interest, how much interest is earned after 9 months?
Solution: $15,000*0.1*9/12 = $1125


Compound Interest

\(Balance(final)=\)
\(=principal*(1+\frac{interest}{C})^{time*C}\), where C = the number of times compounded annually.

If C=1, meaning that interest is compounded once a year, then the formula will be: \(Balance(final)=\)
\(principal*(1+interest)^{time}\), where time is number of years.

Example: If $20,000 is invested at 12% annual interest, compounded quarterly, what is the balance after 2 year?
Solution: \(Balance=20,000*(1+\frac{0.12}{4})^{2*4}=\)
\(=20,000*(1.03)^8=25,335.4\)


Percentile

If someone's grade is in \(x_{th}\) percentile of the \(n\) grades, this means that \(x%\) of people out of \(n\) has the grades less than this person.

Example: Lena’s grade was in the 80th percentile out of 120 grades in her class. In another class of 200 students there were 24 grades higher than Lena’s. If nobody had Lena’s grade, then Lena was what percentile of the two classes combined?

Solution:
Being in 80th percentile out of 120 grades means Lena outscored \(120*0.8=96\) classmates.

In another class she would outscored \(200-24=176\) students.

So, in combined classes she outscored \(96+176=272\). As there are total of \(120+200=320\) students, so Lena is in \(\frac{272}{320}=0.85=85%\), or in 85th percentile.


Official GMAC Books:

The Official Guide, 12th Edition: PS #10; PS #17; PS #19; PS #47; PS #55; PS #60; PS #64; PS #78; PS #92; PS #94; PS #109; PS #111; PS #115; PS #124; PS #128; PS #131; PS #151; PS #156; PS #166; PS #187; PS #193; PS #200; PS #202; PS #220; DS #2; DS #7; DS #21; DS #37; DS #48; DS #55; DS #61; DS #63; DS #78; DS #88; DS #92; DS #120; DS #138; DS #142; DS #143;

Generated from [GMAT ToolKit]

--------------------------------------------------------
Get The Official GMAT Club's App - GMAT TOOLKIT 2.
The only app you need to get 700+ score!

[iOS App] [Android App]

--------------------------------------------------------

Show Spoiler
Attachment:
Math_icon_percents.png

Great post Bunuel, wondering how is "In another class of 200 students there were 24 grades higher than Lena’s" interpret as \(200-24=176\) ? and not \(200+24 \) instead ? Could you kindly help clarify? Thanks
Show more

If out of 200 students, 24 had grades higher than Lena, and nobody had Lena’s grade, then 200 - 24 = 176 had grades lower than Lena. How else?
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 05 Dec 2023, 09:33
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Bunuel
PERCENTS

This post is a part of [GMAT MATH BOOK]

created by: Bunuel
edited by: bb, walker


--------------------------------------------------------
Get The Official GMAT Club's App - GMAT TOOLKIT 2.
The only app you need to get 700+ score!

[iOS App] [Android App]

--------------------------------------------------------

Definition

A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100 (per cent meaning "per hundred"). It is often denoted using the percent sign, "%", or the abbreviation "pct". Since a percent is an amount per 100, percents can be represented as fractions with a denominator of 100. For example, 25% means 25 per 100, 25/100 and 350% means 350 per 100, 350/100.

• A percent can be represented as a decimal. The following relationship characterizes how percents and decimals interact. Percent Form / 100 = Decimal Form

For example: What is 2% represented as a decimal?
Percent Form / 100 = Decimal Form: 2%/100=0.02

Percent change

General formula for percent increase or decrease, (percent change):


\(Percent=\frac{Change}{Original}*100\)

Example: A company received $2 million in royalties on the first $10 million in sales and then $8 million in royalties on the next $100 million in sales. By what percent did the ratio of royalties to sales decrease from the first $10 million in sales to the next $100 million in sales?

Solution: Percent decrease can be calculated by the formula above:
\(Percent=\frac{Change}{Original}*100=\)
\(=\frac{\frac{2}{10}-\frac{8}{100}}{\frac{2}{10}}*100=60%\), so the royalties decreased by 60%.


Simple Interest

Simple interest = principal * interest rate * time, where "principal" is the starting amount and "rate" is the interest rate at which the money grows per a given period of time (note: express the rate as a decimal in the formula). Time must be expressed in the same units used for time in the Rate.

Example: If $15,000 is invested at 10% simple annual interest, how much interest is earned after 9 months?
Solution: $15,000*0.1*9/12 = $1125


Compound Interest

\(Balance(final)=\)
\(=principal*(1+\frac{interest}{C})^{time*C}\), where C = the number of times compounded annually.

If C=1, meaning that interest is compounded once a year, then the formula will be: \(Balance(final)=\)
\(principal*(1+interest)^{time}\), where time is number of years.

Example: If $20,000 is invested at 12% annual interest, compounded quarterly, what is the balance after 2 year?
Solution: \(Balance=20,000*(1+\frac{0.12}{4})^{2*4}=\)
\(=20,000*(1.03)^8=25,335.4\)


Percentile

If someone's grade is in \(x_{th}\) percentile of the \(n\) grades, this means that \(x%\) of people out of \(n\) has the grades less than this person.

Example: Lena’s grade was in the 80th percentile out of 120 grades in her class. In another class of 200 students there were 24 grades higher than Lena’s. If nobody had Lena’s grade, then Lena was what percentile of the two classes combined?

Solution:
Being in 80th percentile out of 120 grades means Lena outscored \(120*0.8=96\) classmates.

In another class she would outscored \(200-24=176\) students.

So, in combined classes she outscored \(96+176=272\). As there are total of \(120+200=320\) students, so Lena is in \(\frac{272}{320}=0.85=85%\), or in 85th percentile.


Official GMAC Books:

The Official Guide, 12th Edition: PS #10; PS #17; PS #19; PS #47; PS #55; PS #60; PS #64; PS #78; PS #92; PS #94; PS #109; PS #111; PS #115; PS #124; PS #128; PS #131; PS #151; PS #156; PS #166; PS #187; PS #193; PS #200; PS #202; PS #220; DS #2; DS #7; DS #21; DS #37; DS #48; DS #55; DS #61; DS #63; DS #78; DS #88; DS #92; DS #120; DS #138; DS #142; DS #143;

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Great post Bunuel, wondering how is "In another class of 200 students there were 24 grades higher than Lena’s" interpret as \(200-24=176\) ? and not \(200+24 \) instead ? Could you kindly help clarify? Thanks

If out of 200 students, 24 had grades higher than Lena, and nobody had Lena’s grade, then 200 - 24 = 176 had grades lower than Lena. How else?
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Great thanks Bunuel, it make sense now with your great explanation always :please: :)
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Yoaerez
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Math: Number Theory - Percents 05 Sep 2024, 03:53
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Can someone please explain to me how to do this calculation: 20,000∗(1.03)^8=25,335.4?

how do you calculate that 1.03^8 = 1.26677 without a calculator? tried searching online and i don't really get it
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