Apparently I stink at basic math.

1. Last year, the school spent $8,300 for office equipment. This year, it will spend 5 percent less. How much will it spend this year?

$7,885


2. The spelling and grammar test was taken by 217 students. Thirty-seven failed. What percent passed?

83 percent passed.

3. We have a company. We make crap. Some people get paid more than others.
* The CEO earns $150,000 a year. She has a nice office and thinks big ideas.
* Two top managers earn $100,000 a year for attending meetings, writing memos, etc.
* The company has three security guards. They bust heads and carry Tasers. They earn $40,000 a year.
* Finally, we have designers/engineers. They do the actual work. We pay them $35,000 and put them in cubicles like zoo animals.


Mean salary? - $67,500
Median salary? - $40,000

Which is more accurate? - $40,000



4. Desperate for revenue, the government decides to increase the tax on beer. The tax on food is 5 percent. But if you buy beer, you pay an extra percent, or a total of 6 percent. Supporters of the tax say this is only a 1 percentage increase; critics say this is a 20 percent increase. Who is right?

1 percent increase in relation to the price of beer.
20 percent increase in relation to the tax on food.


5. a. The city’s budget was cut from $2 million to $1.5 million. What was the percent decrease?

25 percent decrease

b. The city’s budget increased from $1.5 million to $2 million. What was the percent increase?

33.3333 percent increase

6. Last year, your property tax bill was $1,152. This year, it rose to $1,275. What’s the percent increase?


10.6 percent


7. We want to look at home sales in October.


* House 1 costs $225,000.

* House 2 costs $207,000.

* House 3 costs $129,000.

* House 4 costs $192,000.

* House 5 costs $3.2 million.

What’s the mean price? What’s the median?

Median: $207,000
Mean: $790,600

8. You and your four roommates have ordered a 16-slice pizza. Because you skipped lunch, it is agreed that you should have a 1/4 share of the total. The roommates divide the remainder equally. How much does each one get?

3 slices each

9. Let’s say someone wants to establish a University District. To gain support, he/she needs to establish that safety is a problem in the area. Assume the following:


* Pullman had 183 assaults last year. Spokane had 502.
* Spokane has 200,000 people. Pullman has 25,000.

Is the average person more likely to be assaulted in Spokane or Pullman? What's the per capita assault rate in each city?


10. House prices increased 40 percent this year to a median price of $210,000. What was the median house price last year?


(Credit: Poynter Institute)