It's time to apply what you've learned through this percentage game. Here you'll also learn to clear your clutter and prepare a yard sale. You will need some paper and a pen or pencil. Have two pieces of paper ready, and use one for your draft.
PREPARATION
a. Go around the house and list used items you can sell, like books, clothes, CDs, stuffed toys, or furniture. Be sure that you list only the items that you use rarely, you don't use at all, or you can do without.
b. Organize your list by grouping the similar objects together.
PRICING
a. Find the purchase price of the items you've listed. You may ask a family member for help if you're not sure about the value of an item. Since this is only practice, you can just estimate. Keep your prices in multiples of five-$.5, $.10, $.15, $5, $10, and so on.
b. Write your estimated price next to the item. For example:
PERCENTAGE RULE
a. You will want to price these goods based on what you think they'll be worth to the buyer. You may charge around 20% of the original price for something in good shape. Charge 10% of the original price for older used items.
b. Use the back of your draft to compute. For example, if you charge 20% for a bookcase you bought for $50, how much will you sell it for?
c. Write down the word problem and number problem to guide you. Follow this example for your other items:
PROCEEDS
a. Once you've calculated the price of items based on the percentage rule, add up all these prices to get your possible total proceeds, or earnings. Find out your possible profit by adding up all the expected prices of your items. In the example below, the profit is $72.
b. Divide your profits by setting aside a certain percent to deposit in your savings, to spend on a new item, to treat your friends or family, or to donate to charity.
Setting up a yard sale would definitely help improve your mathematical skills!
Ready to move on to the next lesson?
Percent Word Problems
