If 40% of a number is 56, what was the original number?

Question

33985 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2016-11-02T08:38:15

Original number is $140$

Any percent question can be done as a direct proportion.

In this case we have:

"If 56 represents 40%, how much is 100%?"

$56/40 = ?/100$

Using equivalent fractions.....

$56/40 xx 2.5/2.5= 140/100$

The original number was 140.

Using cross-multiplying:

$56/40 = x/100$

$40x = 56xx100$

$x = (56xx100)/40$

$x = 140$