# Math Help - not sure how to devide this percent increase?

1. ## not sure how to devide this percent increase?

Hi

I forgot how to do this, you know how sometimes you see in a news paper article might read;
a polotition increased education spending by 1.5 billion, a jump of about 23 percent.

My question is: If I wanted to know what the spending was before the increase, how do I calculate this? If 1.5 billion is a 23 percent increase do I divide something?

2. Originally Posted by Waveform
Hi

I forgot how to do this, you know how sometimes you see in a news paper article might read;
a polotition increased education spending by 1.5 billion, a jump of about 23 percent.

My question is: If I wanted to know what the spending was before the increase, how do I calculate this? If 1.5 billion is a 23 percent increase do I divide something?
If I'm reading this correctly the 23% increase is equal to $1.5 billion. So 1.5 billion is 23% of what number? (23/100)x = 1.5 billion x = (100/23)*1.5 billion = 6.52 billion So the initial spending was$6.52 billion and it increased by $1.5 billion, or 23% of the$6.52 billion.

-Dan

3. Thanks Dan, that was it!
I don't understand why I cant see this stuff myself. do you have a picture in your head when you do this kind of word problem math?

4. Originally Posted by Waveform
Thanks Dan, that was it!
I don't understand why I cant see this stuff myself. do you have a picture in your head when you do this kind of word problem math?
Just lots and lots of practice. I have never been able to come up with a "standard" way to approach this kind of word problem.

-Dan