When a number is decreased by 20% of itself, the result is 20. What is the number?

1 Answer
May 2, 2017

25

Explanation:

Since the number is reduced by 20% we have 80% left. That 80% is equal to 20. We can use cross multiplication to relate the two.

80% is equal to #80/100=8/10=4/5#
We know that 20 is 80% of something so we have #20/x#

These two should be equal so we can do the following
#4/5=20/x#

Using cross multiplication we get
#4x=100#

Solving we get
#x=25#