Percent change: A zoo has 4 giraffes, 3 lions, and 290 animals overall....

[falcios]

Q:

A zoo has 4 giraffes, 3 lions, and 290 animals overall. The number of giraffes is what percent greater than the number of lions?


Can someone break down how they arrived at the answer 1/3 - 33.3%


Thanks in advance.

 

[lev888]

Q:

A zoo has 4 giraffes, 3 lions, and 290 animals overall. The number of giraffes is what percent greater than the number of lions?


Can someone break down how they arrived at the answer 1/3 - 33.3%


Thanks in advance.

Looking at 1/3, do you see where 1 and 3 come from?

 

[falcios]

Looking at 1/3, do you see where 1 and 3 come from?

I see it now the difference between the giraffes and lions over lions.

I thought percent of change equation includes the total animals not between the giraffes and lions. That's what I'm confused about.

How do I solve this with an equation?

 

[JeffM]

Q:

A zoo has 4 giraffes, 3 lions, and 290 animals overall. The number of giraffes is what percent greater than the number of lions?


Can someone break down how they arrived at the answer 1/3 - 33.3%


Thanks in advance.

The number of giraffes is what percent of the number of lions?

\(\displaystyle \dfrac{4}{3} \approx 133\%.\)

Do you agree?

The number of lions is what percent of the number of lions? Obviously

\(\displaystyle \dfrac{3}{3} = 100\%.\)

So the excess of giraffes over lions as a percentage of lions is

\(\displaystyle \dfrac{4-3}{3} = \dfrac{1}{3} \approx 33\%.\)

It is an oddly worded question in my opinion.

 

[Steven G]

I see it now the difference between the giraffes and lions over lions.

I thought percent of change equation includes the total animals not between the giraffes and lions. That's what I'm confused about.

How do I solve this with an equation?

What you are saying is not wrong but look at this. (4/290 - 3/290)/(3/290). Do you see all the 290's cancelling out? This leaves (4-3)/3 = 1/3!

 

[HallsofIvy]

I see it now the difference between the giraffes and lions over lions.

I thought percent of change equation includes the total animals not between the giraffes and lions. That's what I'm confused about.

How do I solve this with an equation?

You were given that there were "4 giraffes, 3 lions, and 290 animals overall".

You were asked "The number of giraffes is what percent greater than the number of lions?" Do you see that the question is about giraffes and lions only and the other animals are completely irrelevant?