Quantitative Reasoning, Percent question

[bandie89]

A high school reports that its students' SAT scores were down by 10% in one year. The next year, however, the test scores rose by 20%.
The high school principal announces, "Overall, test scores have improved by 10% over the past two years."

 

[Deleted member 4993]

A high school reports that its students' SAT scores were down by 10% in one year. The next year, however, the test scores rose by 20%.
The high school principal announces, "Overall, test scores have improved by 10% over the past two years."

I do not see a question here!

Please show us what you have tried and exactly where you are stuck.

Please follow the rules of posting in this forum, as enunciated at:

https://www.freemathhelp.com/forum/threads/read-before-posting.109846/#post-486520​

Please share your work/thoughts about this problem.

 

[Dr.Peterson]

A high school reports that its students' SAT scores were down by 10% in one year. The next year, however, the test scores rose by 20%.
The high school principal announces, "Overall, test scores have improved by 10% over the past two years."

Presumably you are supposed to either say whether he is right, or to explain why, or both.

Suppose scores were X at the start, then decreased by 10%, then increased by 20%. What would the end result be? Is this in agreement with the claim of a 10% overall increase? If not, why not?

 

[bandie89]

A high school reports that its students' SAT scores were down by 10% in one year. The next year, however, the test scores rose by 20%.
The high school principal announces, "Overall, test scores have improved by 10% over the past two years."

I do not see a question here!

Please show us what you have tried and exactly where you are stuck.

Please follow the rules of posting in this forum, as enunciated at:

https://www.freemathhelp.com/forum/threads/read-before-posting.109846/#post-486520​

Please share your work/thoughts about this problem.

Basically this is the problem. I couldn’t figure it out how to do it. I was stuck on it all day.

 

[Dr.Peterson]

Basically this is the problem. I couldn’t figure it out how to do it. I was stuck on it all day.

It's important that you show us the entire problem as given to you. Possibly you still haven't done that, as there are usually more than two choices, and they may make a difference.

But surely you have some work you can show. I told you what to do; at least show an attempt, so we can see how much you do or don't understand about percentages.

If you are really struggling, replace the X in my suggestion with 100:

Suppose scores were 100 at the start, then decreased by 10%, then increased by 20%. What would the end result be? Is this in agreement with the claim of a 10% overall increase? If not, why not?