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00:03

Here's a boring, unshmoopy question for you that you'll use on an exam somewhere in life...

00:08

7 is 3.5% of what number?

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Here are your potential answers...

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This question is really just as much about understanding English as it is about understanding the math.

00:24

In particular, there's one key word you should focus on: Of.

00:28

In math terms, it always means... times.

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There is another big-time important 2-letter word here as well: Is.

00:36

Which means ... equals.

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So in plain English, this question translates to:

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7 equals 3.5% times what number? Or 7 equals .035x

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One other thing this question is testing is whether we really understand what PERCENT means.

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Basically, it means FOR EVERY HUNDRED.

00:57

3.5% ain't much... it's only 3 and a half units per hundred.

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So when we multiply it all out, we have to stick the zero in the tenths place --

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the evil overlords in TestLand will almost certainly try to get us to stumble over this pebble.

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But if we got the equation right, then the rest is just about the algebra.

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So to solve for x, divide both sides by .035... and we get x equals 7 over .035.

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Doing the long division, it looks like this:

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And when all's said and done, we have x equals 200... and the answer is D.

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Not a super-toughie... you just have to watch out for those pebbles.

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