Solving Percent Problems on the ASVAB AFQT - dummies

By Rod Powers

Some problems on the ASVAB AFQT involve working with percentages, such as discount savings, pay raises, and so on. You often see these problems on the Arithmetic Reasoning subtest, and they’re relatively simple to solve.

Here’s an example: Jamie makes $8.95 per hour. He’s such a good worker that his boss gives him a 25 percent raise. How much per hour does Jamie make now?

To find the dollar amount of the raise, multiply Jamie’s previous salary by the decimal equivalent of 25 percent:


Round this number up to $2.24, just to make Jamie smile. Now add the raise to Jamie’s original salary: $8.95 + $2.24 = $11.19.

Let’s try another one: Katie is very excited. For only $45, she bought a set of towels that usually sells for $60. What was the percentage of her discount?

Divide the new price by the original price:


The new price is 75 percent of the original price, which means Katie’s discount was 25 percent.