Young Geniuses · Ages 13 to 14
Percentage Multiplier Word Problems
Use multipliers for percentage change, including repeated changes. Five levels with answer keys.
The learning journey
Every activity is one step. Here is where this one fits.
- PlayLearn the idea in a game
- Practise(you are here)Lock it in on paper
- ReviewCome back and keep it sharp
- MasterTake on a harder challenge
- AchieveEarn a certificate
About Percentage Multiplier Word Problems
The multiplier method turns percentage change from a two-step calculation into a one-step one: an increase of twenty per cent is a multiplication by 1.20, a decrease of fifteen per cent is a multiplication by 0.85, and that is the whole of it. Its real payoff arrives with repeated change, where the intuitive approach fails badly. Two consecutive rises of ten per cent are not a rise of twenty per cent, because the second applies to a larger amount than the first, and a pupil who adds the percentages together will be wrong every time. The higher levels of this worksheet are built around exactly that trap, applying two sequential multipliers and asking for the final figure. Every answer key states the multipliers used as well as the result, so a pupil can see where their working diverged rather than just that it did. All the money is held in whole pence and every percentage is chosen so each step lands exactly, meaning no answer needs rounding and none is ambiguous. The levels progress from a single increase, to a single decrease, to larger values, to two sequential changes, and finally to repeated changes in either direction. Six problems per page with working space and its own separate answer key. Its on-screen twin is Percentage Multiplier Sim.
Common questions
- Are two 10% rises the same as one 20% rise?
- No, and that is the trap the higher levels are built around. The second rise applies to a larger amount than the first.
- What is the multiplier for a decrease?
- One minus the percentage as a decimal — a 15% decrease is a multiplication by 0.85.
- Do any answers need rounding?
- No. Percentages are chosen so every step lands exactly in whole pence.
- Does the key show the multipliers?
- Yes, as well as the result, so a pupil can see where their working diverged.
A hand for grown-ups
- Before you start
- Find a calm few minutes with no rush. Let your child know it is fine to find some of it tricky — that is what practice is for.
- While they work
- Sit nearby but let them lead. If they get stuck, ask "what could you try?" rather than giving the answer — the thinking is the point.
- Afterwards
- Ask them to show you one they found easy and one they found hard. Praise the effort on the hard one, not just the right answers.
- Watch out for
- Rushing. If answers come too fast and wrong, slow the pace down together rather than pushing for more.
- Away from the screen
- Look for the same maths in everyday life — counting stairs, sharing snacks, spotting shapes on a walk.
Where to go next
Chosen by the skills this activity practises.