Math Worksheet · Grades 5–7

Percent Word Problems Worksheet

A 3-page percent-word-problems worksheet for grades 5-7. Students convert percent to a decimal and multiply to find a percent of a number in 6 prompts in Section A, then solve 4 multi-step real-world problems in Section B – discount and sale price, sales tax and total cost, and two percent-increase calculations. Includes a complete answer key.

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Preview of page 1 of the Percent Word Problems Worksheet

Subject

Math

Grades

Grades 5–7

Skill Focus

Percent Word Problems, word problems

Lesson Length

20 minutes

Lesson Overview

About this worksheet

Percent is the bridge between fractions, decimals, and real-world money math. The core skill – converting a percent to a decimal (move the decimal point two places left) and then MULTIPLYING by the base amount – opens the door to discount math, sales-tax math, tip math, and percent-change math, all of which are part of grades-5-7 standards and adult financial literacy alike.

The reference box at the top of page 1 covers the skill in three layers. First, the definition: percent means ‘out of 100’ (25% = 25/100 = 0.25). Second, the procedure for finding a percent OF a number: convert to a decimal and multiply. Third, the procedure for PERCENT CHANGE: divide the amount of change by the ORIGINAL amount, then convert to a percent. A worked example (find 15% of 40) shows the conversion 15% = 0.15 and the multiplication 0.15 x 40 = 6. The (15%, 40) operand pair does NOT appear in any assessed item.

Section A on page 1 has 6 find-the-percent-of-a-number items in a two-column grid layout. The percents used (25%, 50%, 10%, 75%, 20%, 5%) cover the common ‘mental-math anchor’ values students should recognize quickly. Numeric prompts (e.g., ‘Find 25% of 80.’) are short enough to use a two-column grid; the answer key follows the same two-column layout.

Section B on page 2 has 4 multi-step real-world percent problems with work boxes. Item 7 is a discount problem (60-dollar jacket, 30% off – find the discount AND the sale price). Item 8 is a sales-tax problem (48-dollar dinner, 8% tax – find the tax AND the total). Items 9 and 10 are PERCENT INCREASE problems (bookstore customers 150 -> 180, test score 70 -> 91) which require the change-over-original calculation. Page 3 is a complete answer key with the decimal conversion, multiplication, and final values shown.

How to Use This Lesson

Project the page 1 reference box and read the definition of percent out loud: ‘out of 100’.

Walk through the conversion: 25% = 0.25 (move the decimal two places to the left).

Walk through the percent-of-number worked example: find 15% of 40 by computing 0.15 x 40 = 6.

Work Section A item 1 (find 25% of 80) together; show 0.25 x 80 = 20.

Walk through Section A item 6 (find 5% of 120) since the single-digit percent is the trickiest to convert correctly (5% = 0.05, not 0.5).

Assign the rest of Section A independently or with a partner; the answers should be quick if students convert correctly.

Read Section B item 7 (jacket discount) together; show the two steps – find the discount, then subtract from the original price.

Walk through Section B item 9 (bookstore customers 150 -> 180) to introduce the PERCENT INCREASE formula: change divided by ORIGINAL amount, then convert to a percent.

Use Section B item 10 (test score 70 -> 91) as a closing whole-class problem to confirm students divide by the original score (70), not by the new score (91).

Use the answer key on page 3 for self-check or aide spot-check.

Printable Resource

A classroom-ready PDF with everything in one printable resource.

Full Member Resource · Printable PDF · 3 pages · Answer Key