$42,000. Increased 4%. Use a percent greater than 100

Question

$42,000 tuition for last year. This year, tuition increased 4%. Find this year's tuition by using a percent greater than 100

Answer 1

 

$42000 out of $42000 is worth 100%;  If you increase the percentage by 4%, you have 104%.  This can be demonstrated by taking $42000 times .04 (move decimal 2 spots left from 4.0%) and you get the answer:  1680

 

One can then take 42000 + 1680 = 43680.  Keeping in mind that to get a percent over 100, one must always divide a small number into a larger number, we will be taking our original 42000 amount and dividing it into the new 43680 amount.  This will equal   1.04 as a decimal.....multiply this by 100 to get a percent and that's 104%.