Using mathematical data in business - The nature of business activity - Eduqas - GCSE Business Revision - Eduqas - BBC Bitesize (2024)

Using mathematical data in business

Businesses use a range of mathematical data to help them understand their business and the data they gather. Common calculations used by business include calculations of percentages, percentage changes and averages.

Calculating percentages

Businesses regularly use percentages, for example if they want to find out what percentage of a selling price is profit for a product.

Percentages are displayed using the % symbol. A percentage means ‘out of 100’.

  • 50% means 50 out of 100
  • 12% means 12 out of 100

To change a decimal to a percentage, multiply by 100. So to change 0.67 to a percentage: 0.67 × 100 = 67%.

To work out a percentage of an amount. Divide the amount by the number you want to work it out of and then multiply by 100. For example, if a business wants to calculate the percentage of 16 out of 40: 16 ÷ 40 × 100 = 40%.

If a business was selling an item for £50, and £18 of that was profit, they can work out what percent their profit margin is on an item, 18 ÷ 50 × 100 = 36%.

Calculating percentage changes

Businesses may also want to work out percentage changes over time, for example the percentage change in demand for an item.

To work out a percentage increase there are two steps:

  • Step one: work out the difference between the two numbers being compared. (Increase = New Number - Original Number)
  • Step two: divide the increase amount by the original number, then multiply the result by 100 (% increase = Increase ÷ Original Number × 100)

To work out a percentage decrease there are also two steps:

  • Step one: work out the difference between the two numbers being compared. (Decrease = New Number - Original Number)
  • Step two: divide the decrease amount by the original number, then multipy the result by 100 (% decrease = Decrease ÷ Original Number × 100)

Percentages are usually rounded to a convenient number of decimal places, for example to the nearest percentage, or to two decimal places.

As an example, if a business made sales of 36 items one week and 54 items the next, they can calculate the percentage change by:

  • Step one - 54 – 36 = 18
  • Step two – 18 ÷ 36 × 100 = 50% increase

If a business made sales of 84 items one week and 52 items the next, they can calculate the percentage change by:

  • Step one: 52 – 84 = -32
  • Step two: -32 ÷ 84 × 100 = 38% decrease (rounded to the nearest percentage)

Calculating averages

Averages are also often used in business. For example a business may want to see their average sales or over a period of time.

An average is calculated by adding all of the values in a set together, and dividing by the number of values there are. For example, if a business wanted to work their average amount of products sold each month, over a six- month period, they would add the amounts sold each month together and divide by six. For example:

100 + 115 + 96 + 142 + 89 + 112 = 654

654 ÷ 6 = 109 average sales.

As you can see, they have added the amount of products sold each month, then divided the total by the number of months to find the average.

If a business wanted to calculate their average revenue over four months, they would do the following:

£1000 + £1250 + £900 + 1050 = £4200

£4200 ÷ 4 = £1050 average revenue.

As with percentages, averages are usually rounded to a convenient number of decimal places where necessary, for example to the nearest pound or penny.

Using mathematical data in business - The nature of business activity - Eduqas - GCSE Business Revision - Eduqas - BBC Bitesize (2024)

FAQs

What is business activity GCSE business? ›

The purpose of business activity is to take inputs, add value to them, and create products which meet customer needs. To produce goods or services. The primary purpose of business activity is to produce goods or services that satisfy a need or demand in the market.

How to revise for AQA business GCSE? ›

Streamline your study approach and maximize your potential for a top-grade performance:
  1. Understand The Syllabus. ...
  2. Create A Study Schedule. ...
  3. Utilize Varied Resources. ...
  4. Visual Aids & Diagrams. ...
  5. Active Note-Taking. ...
  6. Practice Past Papers. ...
  7. Group Discussions. ...
  8. Teach Yourself.

How to calculate percentage change in business a level? ›

To work out a percentage increase there are two steps:
  1. Step one: work out the difference between the two numbers being compared. (Increase = New Number - Original Number)
  2. Step two: divide the increase amount by the original number, then multiply the result by 100 (% increase = Increase ÷ Original Number × 100)

Why is percentage important in business? ›

The percentage is one of the most important concepts that help in data analysis and comparison. It is important for solving many business-related questions and hence is expressed as %. It is the number or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100.

What are some examples of business activity? ›

The six different types of business activities are operations and logistics, sales and marketing, general administration, customer service, budgeting and forecasting, and accounting and auditing. Each of these activities is necessary for a business to operate effectively.

What is the nature of the business activity? ›

Business activity exists to produce goods or services, which can be classified in several ways: consumer goods, consumer services and capital goods. but all of the renewable and non-renewable resources of nature, such as coal, crude oil and timber.

How hard is GCSE business studies? ›

The subject matter is generally easy to grasp, often drawing upon common sense and real-world examples. Examinations in Business Studies typically feature short answer and multiple-choice questions, primarily assessing students' knowledge of fundamental concepts.

How to get a 9 in business GCSE? ›

Scoring a 9 in GCSE Business entails adopting effective study habits, such as thorough revision, practising past papers, and seeking feedback.

How to pass business GCSE? ›

By being disciplined in your studies and developing good focus techniques such as breaking down large tasks into smaller ones, engaging in active recall such as quizzes or practice questions, making use of visual aids such as mind maps or diagrams and taking regular breaks, you'll be well on track for achieving success ...

How to calculate profit change? ›

Suppose your original profit was $100 and your current profit is $120. To calculate the percentage increase, you would use the formula as follows: Percentage Increase = ($120 - $100) / $100 * 100 = 20%. This means that your profit has increased by 20%.

How to calculate percentage increase BBC? ›

Percentage change is calculated by dividing the difference between the two amounts by the original amount.

How to get percentage paid? ›

The percentage can be found by dividing the value by the total value and then multiplying the result by 100. The formula used to calculate the percentage is: (value/total value)×100%.

What percentage is good business growth? ›

Ideal business growth rates vary by the type of business and industry as well as the stage that the business is at in its development. In general, however, a healthy growth rate should be sustainable for the company. In most cases, an ideal growth rate will be around 15 and 25% annually.

How to calculate profit percentage? ›

Profit is the amount that a seller earns when the selling price is greater than the cost price. Gain/Profit is always calculated on the SP (selling price). Loss/Loss is always calculated on the CP. Thus, Profit % = Gain/Profit *100 and Loss % = Loss/Loss * 100.

What is the meaning of business activities? ›

Business activity is any activity related to the purpose of making a profit. It is often divided into operating activities, investing activities and financing activities. Of these, operating activities tend to be considered the most important as they have the most direct impact on a company's performance.

What is the definition of business activity Igcse? ›

The purpose of business activity can be broadly defined as the activities that businesses engage in to produce goods or services that meet customer needs while adding value.

What is classified as business activity? ›

By definition, Business Activities involve the utilization of resources to produce goods and services for sale to customers. This includes a variety of activities such as planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, and budgeting.

What is a business activity quizlet? ›

Business is any commercial activity that seeks profit providing goods and services to others in exchange for money.

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