A man earns N3,500 per month out of which he spends 15% on his children's education. If he spends additional N1,950 on food, how much does he have left?

Analysis

To solve this problem, we need to calculate the total amount the man spends from his monthly salary and subtract that total from his initial earnings to find the remainder.

Concept

1. Percentage Calculation: To find a percentage of a number, multiply the number by the percentage (expressed as a fraction or decimal). • Formula: $\text{Amount} = (\text{Percentage} / 100) \times \text{Total Salary}$
2. Subtraction: Subtract all expenses from the total income to find the balance.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Calculate the amount spent on education. The man spends 15% of N3,500 on his children's education.

• $\text{Education Expense} = \frac{15}{100} \times 3500$
• $\text{Education Expense} = 0.15 \times 3500$
• $\text{Education Expense} = N525$

Step 2: Calculate the total expenditure. The man also spends N1,950 on food. Add this to the education expense.

• $\text{Total Expenditure} = \text{Education Expense} + \text{Food Expense}$
• $\text{Total Expenditure} = N525 + N1,950$
• $\text{Total Expenditure} = N2,475$

Step 3: Calculate the balance left. Subtract the total expenditure from the monthly salary.

• $\text{Balance} = \text{Total Salary} - \text{Total Expenditure}$
• $\text{Balance} = N3,500 - N2,475$
• $\text{Balance} = N1,025$

Conclusion

After spending 15% on education and N1,950 on food, the man is left with N1,025.

Exam Tip: When dealing with percentage problems in JAMB, always convert the percentage to a decimal first (e.g., 15% = 0.15). This makes multiplication much faster and reduces errors when working with large numbers like 3,500.