ParaPathways Percentages Practice: Quick Lesson and Sample Questions
Percent questions on the ParaPathways appear under Numbers and Operations in the Mathematics module. The on-screen calculator has no percent key, so converting percents to decimals by hand is the core skill these questions test.
The Mathematics module (test 5759) gives you 36 questions in 60 minutes. That works out to about 100 seconds per question. This page teaches the percent routine and gives you 6 sample questions. For the full topic list, see the Math module page.
Percentages on the ParaPathways: what you need to know
Start with the conversion, because the calculator forces it. The on-screen four-function calculator has no percent key. To use a percent, drop the percent sign and move the decimal point 2 places to the left. So 25% becomes 0.25, 8% becomes 0.08, and 150% becomes 1.5.
Every percent question on the test takes 1 of 3 shapes. Learn to spot the shape before you touch the calculator.
Shape 1: find the part. You know the percent and the whole. Multiply the whole by the decimal form of the percent. To find 30% of 90, enter 90 times 0.3 and get 27.
Shape 2: find the percent. You know the part and the whole. Divide the part by the whole, then convert the decimal to a percent. If 18 of 24 students turned in homework, 18 divided by 24 gives 0.75, which is 75%.
Shape 3: find the whole. You know the part and the percent it represents. Divide the part by the decimal form of the percent. If 12 students are 30% of a class, 12 divided by 0.3 gives 40 students.
Percent increase and decrease questions add 1 more step. The rule is (new minus old) divided by old, then convert to a percent. If attendance rose from 20 students to 25, the change is 5. Divide 5 by the old value, 20, to get 0.25, or a 25% increase. Always divide by the original number, not the new one.
The test frames these problems in classroom contexts. Expect attendance rates, quiz score improvements, reading log completion, and supply budgets. The wording changes, but the 3 shapes underneath do not.
Two traps account for most wrong answers. First, percent OF is not percent MORE. A number that is 150% of 40 equals 60, but a number that is 150% more than 40 equals 100. Second, a 25% discount means you pay 75%, not 25%. When an item is 25% off, multiply the price by 0.75 to find the final cost. The wrong answer choices on the test are built from exactly these mistakes, so slow down on the wording.
Sample questions
Work each problem with a basic calculator and no percent key, just as you will on test day.
Question 1
A class has 30 students. On a field trip day, 20% of the students ride the bus with a parent volunteer. How many students ride with the volunteer?
- A. 4
- B. 6
- C. 10
- D. 15
Show answer
B. This asks for the part. Convert 20% to 0.2, then multiply: 30 times 0.2 equals 6 students.
Question 2
A student answered 21 questions correctly on a 28-question quiz. What percent of the questions did the student answer correctly?
- A. 70%
- B. 72%
- C. 75%
- D. 80%
Show answer
C. This asks for the percent. Divide the part by the whole: 21 divided by 28 equals 0.75. Move the decimal point 2 places right to get 75%.
Question 3
At a school assembly, 45 students are wearing spirit shirts. They make up 15% of the students present. How many students are at the assembly?
- A. 200
- B. 250
- C. 300
- D. 350
Show answer
C. This asks for the whole. Convert 15% to 0.15, then divide: 45 divided by 0.15 equals 300 students.
Question 4
A student scored 60 on the first math quiz and 75 on the second. By what percent did the score increase?
- A. 15%
- B. 20%
- C. 25%
- D. 30%
Show answer
C. Use (new minus old) divided by old. The change is 75 minus 60, which is 15. Divide 15 by 60 to get 0.25, a 25% increase.
Question 5
A backpack is priced at $48. It goes on sale for 25% off. What is the sale price?
- A. $12
- B. $23
- C. $36
- D. $44
Show answer
C. A 25% discount means you pay 75% of the price. Multiply 48 by 0.75 to get $36. Choice A is the trap: $12 is the discount amount, not the price you pay.
Question 6
A paraprofessional tracks attendance for a class of 25 students. On Monday, 22 students are present. What is the attendance rate for that day?
- A. 82%
- B. 85%
- C. 88%
- D. 92%
Show answer
C. Divide the part by the whole: 22 divided by 25 equals 0.88. That converts to an attendance rate of 88%.
Review the full study guide for every math topic, then check your speed with a timed Math practice test.
Drill percents inside the full Math module, timed.
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