Thread: Please help!!! I'm super confused!

Ok, here's the deal. I had the following math problem:
In 1997-41,344 motor vehicle production in countries outside the United States.
In 1950-2,571 motor vehicle production in countries outside the United States.

What was the percentage increase in motor vehicle production in countries outside
the United States from 1950 to 1997?

I took 41,344 and subtracted 2,571, this gave me a difference of 38,773.
I then took the 38,773 and divided it by 2,571, this gave me 15.08.
I then moved the decimal two places to the right which gave me a total of 1,508%.
My teacher is telling me this is wrong. She said the answer is 15.08% because when you divide the two the answer is all ready in percent form.
Is this right? I thought when you divided it was in decimal form and you had to convert it to a percent???????? Please help, All other probelms I have done this way were right but for some reason this one she says is wrong. Why would this all ready be in percent form if all other problems I do are not?
Thank you for any help you have on this matter.
Julie

Originally Posted by juliecooper

Ok, here's the deal. I had the following math problem:
In 1997-41,344 motor vehicle production in countries outside the United States.
In 1950-2,571 motor vehicle production in countries outside the United States.

What was the percentage increase in motor vehicle production in countries outside
the United States from 1950 to 1997?

Subtract,
38773
Divide,
38773/2571=15.08
Now to get precents multiply by 100,
1508%
---
Your mistake was that you forgot to multily by 100.
You took that number after division, what was just a decimal and had to be converted to percent.

Originally Posted by juliecooper

My teacher is telling me this is wrong. She said the answer is 15.08% because when you divide the two the answer is all ready in percent form.
Is this right? I thought when you divided it was in decimal form and you had to convert it to a percent???????? Please help, All other probelms I have done this way were right but for some reason this one she says is wrong. Why would this all ready be in percent form if all other problems I do are not?
Thank you for any help you have on this matter.
Julie

Your teacher is misguided

Just check your work (which is correct) by finding 1508% of 2,571 and you'll prove you're correct. On the other hand, finding 15.08% of 2,571 will prove that she is wrong.

I had a feeling that I was right. I came up with 1508%. I have been back and forth with my teacher on this and she swears the answer is 15.08%. She said I am not supposed to multiply this by 100 because the answer 15.08 is all ready in percent form. I do my classes online, and it really bugs me that we have been going back and forth for 1 week now, and she is positive that the answer is 15.08%. What really gets me is this is a college teacher! Thanks for all of ya'lls help. I knew I was right, everyone I talked to said the same things. But my teacher just won't see it. I think I'm fighting a losing battle.
Julie

Originally Posted by juliecooper

I had a feeling that I was right. I came up with 1508%. I have been back and forth with my teacher on this and she swears the answer is 15.08%. She said I am not supposed to multiply this by 100 because the answer 15.08 is all ready in percent form. I do my classes online, and it really bugs me that we have been going back and forth for 1 week now, and she is positive that the answer is 15.08%. What really gets me is this is a college teacher! Thanks for all of ya'lls help. I knew I was right, everyone I talked to said the same things. But my teacher just won't see it. I think I'm fighting a losing battle.
Julie

You probably are fighting a losing battle. It's too bad that some people refuse to be corrected (by students in particular.) But take heart, it's only for a semester!

-Dan

Originally Posted by juliecooper

I had a feeling that I was right. I came up with 1508%. I have been back and forth with my teacher on this and she swears the answer is 15.08%. She said I am not supposed to multiply this by 100 because the answer 15.08 is all ready in percent form. I do my classes online, and it really bugs me that we have been going back and forth for 1 week now, and she is positive that the answer is 15.08%. What really gets me is this is a college teacher! Thanks for all of ya'lls help. I knew I was right, everyone I talked to said the same things. But my teacher just won't see it. I think I'm fighting a losing battle.
Julie

As a teacher myself I can't stand teachers who won't be proved wrong.

Originally Posted by juliecooper

I had a feeling that I was right. I came up with 1508%. I have been back and forth with my teacher on this and she swears the answer is 15.08%. She said I am not supposed to multiply this by 100 because the answer 15.08 is all ready in percent form. I do my classes online, and it really bugs me that we have been going back and forth for 1 week now, and she is positive that the answer is 15.08%. What really gets me is this is a college teacher! Thanks for all of ya'lls help. I knew I was right, everyone I talked to said the same things. But my teacher just won't see it. I think I'm fighting a losing battle.
Julie

You could refer you teacher to this site, and we will explain it to her.

RonL

Or you can tell me who she is and I will kill her (painlessly of course).

Originally Posted by ThePerfectHacker

Or you can tell me who she is and I will kill her (painlessly of course).

In case you are in doubt, ImPerfectHacker is joking.

(He hasn't been allowed to kill people since the fall of the Soviet Union).

RonL

Originally Posted by CaptainBlack

In case you are in doubt, ImPerfectHacker is joking.

(He hasn't been allowed to kill people since the fall of the Soviet Union).

RonL

(That we know of...)

-Dan

Originally Posted by CaptainBlack

In case you are in doubt, ImPerfectHacker is joking.

(He hasn't been allowed to kill people since the fall of the Soviet Union).

RonL

I kinda figured that. Besides I know plenty of Marines if I needed that done. LOL Just so you know I'm kidding. I would never ask them or anyone to do that as much as I would like to sometimes. Thanks for all your help. I'm calling my advisors and talking with them about it.
Julie