Find out three recent news reports that quote percentages. In each case, describe the use of the percentage (as a fraction, to describe change, or for comparison) and explain its context.

Answer the question that follows a quote from a news source. "Concessions in Brooklyn more than doubled during the period, to $15.4$ percent from $6.6$ percent." What was the percentage increase in concessions during the period?

Answer the question that follows a quote from a news source. "Since $2008$, Jackson Family Wines has reduced its annual water usage by $31$ percent." By what fraction was the $2008$ water usage reduced?

Solve the following percentage problem. The number of daily evening newspapers in the United States has decreased by $46.5 \%$ to $389$ newspapers between $2000$ and $2015$. How many daily evening newspapers were there for $2000$?

Study Figure 3.3. Adjusted for inflation, the lowest gasoline prices during the period shown occurred during the years a. $1950-1952$. b. $1980-1982$. c. 1998-1999.

Decide whether the following statement makes sense or not Explain your reason. When we chart today's price of milk in 1995 dollars, we find that it has become slightly more expensive, but when we chart it in 1975 dollars, we find that it has become cheaper.

Decide whether the following statement makes sense or not. Explain your reasoning. My height is $5$ feet, $6.3980$ inches.

You are running for mayor this year in a city with $300,000$ households. You decide to campaign by going door to door and spending a few minutes talking with members of every household in the town. This plan a. will require about three months of your time. b. will require about a year of your time. c. is unfeasible, given how long it would take.

You currently earn $\$ 1000$ per month, but you are expecting your earnings to increase by $10 \%$ per year. This means that in five years you expect to be earning a. less than $\$ 1500$ per month. b. exactly $\$ 1500$ per month. c. more than $\$ 1500$ per month.

Decide whether the following statement makes sense or not Explain your reason The Republicans claim the tax cut benefits everyone equally, but the Democrats say it favors the rich. Clearly, one side must be lying.

At a particular moment, the U.S. National Debt Clock says that the federal debt is $\$ 20,958,652,995,023.45$ This reading is a. very precise but not necessarily accurate. b. very accurate but not necessarily precise. c. both very precise and very accurate.

I've decreased my caloric intake by $125 \%$, which has helped me lose weight. Decide whether the above statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain your reasoning.

I read a book that had $10^5$ words in it. Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain your reasoning.

Study the graph in Figure 3.5a. Which of the following is not true according to this graph? a. Taxpayers in the top $1 \%$ income level paid a greater percentage of total federal income tax revenue than they would have without the tax cuts. b. Taxpayers in the top $1 \%$ income level paid $37 \%$ of total federal income tax revenue. c. Taxpayers in the top $1 \%$ income level paid more money in income taxes than they would have without the tax cuts.