Question

A 6-inch-by-10-inch rectangle is cut down to a 5-inch-by-8-inch rectangle. What is the percent of decrease in the area? Express your answer as a mixed number percent.

Answer 1

33 1/3% decrease

Explanation:

The original area is (6in)(10in) = 60 in². The reduced area is (5in)(8in) = 40 in². Then the change in area is ...

((new value)/(old value) -1) × 100%

(40/60 -1)×100% = -1/3×100% = -33 1/3%

The area decreased by 33 1/3%.