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Here’s a boring, unshmoopy question for you…
7 is 3.5% of what number? Here are your potential answers:
OK, this question is really just as much about understanding English as it is about understanding
the math.
In particular, there’s one key word you should focus on: Of.
In math terms, it always means… times.
There is another big-time important 2-letter word here as well: Is.
Which means … equals.
So in plain English, this question translates to:
7 equals 3.5% times what number? Or
7 equals .035x One other thing this question is testing is
whether we really understand what PER CENT means. Basically, it means FOR EVERY HUNDRED.
3.5% ain’t much… it’s only 3 and a half units per hundred.
So when we multiply it out, we have to stick the zero in the tenths place – the evil
overlords in TestLand will almost certainly try to get us to stumble over this pebble.
But if we got the equation right, then the rest is just about the algebra.
So to solve for x, divide both sides by .035… and we get x equals 7 over .035.
Doing the long division, it looks like this:
And when all’s said and done, we have x equals 200… and the answer is D.
Not a super-toughie… you just have to watch out for those pebbles.