6th Grade Percent Word Problems - Free Printable

Here are the step-by-step solutions for each problem on the worksheet.

1) In a class of 30 children, 18 of the children have blue eyes. What percentage of the class have blue eyes?

* Step 1: Write the number of children with blue eyes over the total number of children as a fraction: $18 / 30$.
* Step 2: Simplify the fraction. Both numbers can be divided by 6.
* $18 \div 6 = 3$
* $30 \div 6 = 5$
* So, the fraction is $3/5$.
* Step 3: Convert the fraction to a percentage. To turn $3/5$ into a percentage, you can multiply the top and bottom by 20 to get a denominator of 100.
* $3 \times 20 = 60$
* $5 \times 20 = 100$
* $60/100$ is equal to 60%.

2) In a packet of 40 skittles, 12 are red. What percentage of the skittles are red?

* Step 1: Write the number of red skittles over the total number of skittles: $12 / 40$.
* Step 2: Simplify the fraction. Divide both numbers by 4.
* $12 \div 4 = 3$
* $40 \div 4 = 10$
* The fraction is $3/10$.
* Step 3: Convert to a percentage. Multiply the numerator and denominator by 10 to get a denominator of 100.
* $3 \times 10 = 30$
* $10 \times 10 = 100$
* $30/100$ is equal to 30%.

3) Tyger spends 25 minutes studying mathematics, 35 minutes studying science and 40 minutes studying history. What percentage of his time is spend studying science?

* Step 1: Find the total amount of time spent studying. Add all the minutes together.
* $25 + 35 + 40 = 100$ minutes total.
* Step 2: Identify the time spent on science, which is 35 minutes.
* Step 3: Write this as a fraction of the total time: $35 / 100$.
* Step 4: Since the denominator is already 100, this is simply 35%.

4) Frazer scores 70% in a test. If there are a total of 40 marks, how many marks did he get?

* Step 1: Convert the percentage to a decimal or fraction. $70\% = 0.70$ or $70/100$.
* Step 2: Multiply the total marks by the percentage.
* $40 \times 0.70$
* An easy way to do this is to find 10% first. $10\%$ of 40 is 4.
* Since 70% is seven times 10%, multiply 4 by 7.
* $4 \times 7 = 28$.
* Step 3: Frazer got 28 marks.

5) Toronto FC have lost 5 of the 20 games they have played. What percentage of games have they lost?

* Step 1: Write the number of lost games over the total games: $5 / 20$.
* Step 2: Simplify the fraction. Divide top and bottom by 5.
* $5 \div 5 = 1$
* $20 \div 5 = 4$
* The fraction is $1/4$.
* Step 3: Convert to a percentage. We know that $1/4$ is equal to 0.25.
* $0.25 \times 100 = 25\%$.
* Alternatively, multiply $1/4$ by $25/25$ to get $25/100$, which is 25%.

6) In a group of 32 children, 25% have blue eyes. How many children do not have blue eyes?

* Step 1: Figure out what percentage of children do *not* have blue eyes.
* $100\% - 25\% = 75\%$.
* Step 2: Calculate 75% of 32.
* It is often easier to calculate 25% (which is $1/4$) first and subtract that from the total.
* $25\%$ of 32 is $32 \div 4 = 8$. So, 8 children have blue eyes.
* Step 3: Subtract the children with blue eyes from the total group to find those without.
* $32 - 8 = 24$.
* (Check: $75\%$ is $3/4$. $32 \div 4 = 8$. $8 \times 3 = 24$. The math works out.)

Final Answer:
1) 60%
2) 30%
3) 35%
4) 28 marks
5) 25%
6) 24 children