A £40 jumper has 25% off. What is the sale price?
Correct: C — £30. 25% of £40 = £10 (it is one quarter). £40 − £10 = £30.
Percentages in the Shops
Percentage discounts, percentage change and quick mental percentages — practised through realistic shopping problems.
Percentages come up in nearly every 11+ maths paper, usually disguised as a shopping problem. Knowing that 25% is a quarter and 10% is "divide by 10" turns these into fast marks.
Practising: Percentage discount · Percentage change · Mental percentage strategies
Maths · Question 1 of 4
Score: 0 / 4
Which is the better deal on a £60 toy: 20% off, or £10 off?
Correct: A — 20% off. 20% of £60 = £12, which saves more than £10. So 20% off is the better deal.
A jacket was £80 and is now £60. What percentage discount is that?
Correct: C — 25%. The saving is £20. As a fraction of the old price: 20/80 = 1/4 = 25%.
What is 15% of 200?
Correct: C — 30. 10% of 200 = 20 and 5% of 200 = 10. Add them: 20 + 10 = 30.
You scored 0 out of 4.
Read each explanation again for the questions you missed — the explanations are the part that makes the practice stick.
Tip for parents: let your child attempt every question before you step in. The explanation appears straight after they answer — read it together, then use Start again a day or two later to check it has stuck.
More Maths practice
Place Value and Rounding
Read, compare and round numbers up to 100,000 — the place-value fluency that every 11+ maths paper assumes.
Fractions of Amounts
Find fractions of whole numbers, compare two fractions of different amounts, and solve the fraction word problems 11+ papers love.
Ratio and Proportion
Share amounts in a given ratio, scale recipes up and down, and use simple scales — the topic that separates 11+ scores.