Example 6.21 from Prealgebra, 6.2 Solve General Applications of Percent

Solve General Applications of Percent: example 6.21

The label on Masao's breakfast cereal said that one serving of cereal provides $85$ milligrams (mg) of potassium, which is $2%$ of the recommended daily amount. What is the total recommended daily amount of potassium?

The figures shows the nutrition facts for cereal.

Work it out on paper first. Then open the solution one step at a time, and stop as soon as you can finish on your own.

Your turn

The book's Try It right after this example: same idea, new numbers. Only the answer is given.

One serving of wheat square cereal has $7$ grams of fiber, which is $29%$ of the recommended daily amount. What is the total recommended daily amount of fiber?

How did it go?

What are you asked to find?	the total amount of potassium recommended
Choose a variable to represent it.	Let $a =$ total amount of potassium.
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it.	85 mg is 2% of the total amount.
Translate the sentence into an equation.
Divide both sides by 0.02.
Simplify.
Check: Is this answer reasonable?
Yes. 2% is a small percent and 85 is a small part of 4,250.
Write a complete sentence that answers the question.	The amount of potassium that is recommended is 4250 mg.

What are you asked to find?	the total amount of potassium recommended
Choose a variable to represent it.	Let $a =$ total amount of potassium.
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it.	85 mg is 2% of the total amount.
Translate the sentence into an equation.
Divide both sides by 0.02.
Simplify.
Check: Is this answer reasonable?
Yes. 2% is a small percent and 85 is a small part of 4,250.
Write a complete sentence that answers the question.	The amount of potassium that is recommended is 4250 mg.

Solve General Applications of Percent: example 6.21

Solution

Your turn

Solve General Applications of Percent: example 6.21

Solution

Your turn