# I flunked basic math **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 8, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277 "2002-12-08T07:04:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![neisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4bbf92/32.png) [@neisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neisha)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/1 "2002-12-08T07:04:58Z")
I flunked basic math so, I need some help figuring out this little personal problem. My 2 sister’s and I invested in a purchase that cost $1025.00. I put in $175.00 Carol put in $300.00 Linnette put in $550.00 My question is what percentage did each of us contribute? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/2 "2002-12-08T07:11:27Z")
You = 17% Carol = 29% Linnette = 53% Basic is/of = %/100 equation… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/3 "2002-12-08T07:15:40Z")
You–175/1025 = 17.1% Carol–300/1025 = 29.3% Linnette–550/1025 = 53.7% ---
**Author:** ![agroof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@agroof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agroof)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/4 "2002-12-08T07:17:56Z")
To find the answers to this problem, divide each contribution by the total cost of the purchase and then multiply by 100. So, you = 175/1025 = .17 x 100 = 17% Carol = 300/1025 = .29 x 100 = 29% Linnette = 550/1025 = .54 x 100 = 54% 17% + 29% + 54% = 100%. Hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/5 "2002-12-08T07:20:17Z")
No back-ins after pay-out? No royalty? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/6 "2002-12-08T07:22:05Z")
I should be shot for that. Pardon me. ---
**Author:** ![agroof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@agroof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agroof)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/7 "2002-12-08T07:25:43Z")
You’re the penurious one in the family, eh? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/8 "2002-12-08T07:45:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BrandonR \* > \*\*Basic is/of = %/100 equation… \*\* Winner of the “incomprehensible sentence of the day” award. ---
**Author:** ![agroof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@agroof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agroof)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/9 "2002-12-08T07:57:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GuanoLad \* > \*\*Winner of the “incomprehensible sentence of the day” award. \*\* It made fine sense to me. is % — = — of 100 ---
**Author:** ![neisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4bbf92/32.png) [@neisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neisha)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/10 "2002-12-08T07:57:29Z")
Main Entry: pe·nu·ri·ous Pronunciation: p&-'nur-E-&s, -'nyur- Function: adjective Date: 1590 1 : marked by or suffering from penury 2 : given to or marked by extreme stinting frugality synonym see STINGY - pe·nu·ri·ous·ly adverb - pe·nu·ri·ous·ness noun Actually, I’m the youngest and I shouldn’t have to pay as much! ---
**Author:** ![agroof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@agroof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agroof)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/11 "2002-12-08T07:58:39Z")
Alas, the spacing didn’t work. Ignore my previous post, or at least part of it. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-flunked-basic-math/141277/12 "2002-12-08T08:20:12Z")
What does “is over of” mean?