GCSE Maths: Reverse Percentages
Find the original amount when you are given the value after a percentage change. Practise it with adaptive questions for AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas.
What you need to know
The concepts examiners test on reverse percentages, and what each one is really asking.
Where marks get lost
The exam technique that separates a correct method from a correct answer.
- Taking the percentage off the new amount instead of dividing — 20% off £48 gives £38.40, which is wrong
- Multiplying by the multiplier instead of dividing by it
- Using 0.2 or 1.2 when the other one was applied
- Not checking the answer forwards, which would catch the error immediately
Reverse Percentages questions students ask
Is Reverse Percentages on the Foundation paper?
Yes. Reverse Percentages appears at both Foundation and Higher tier, though Higher papers take it further.
What should I know before starting Reverse Percentages?
It builds on Percentages and Percentage change and multipliers and Rearranging formulae. If those feel shaky, practise them first — Reverse Percentages questions assume them.
What is the most common mistake in Reverse Percentages?
Taking the percentage off the new amount instead of dividing — 20% off £48 gives £38.40, which is wrong.
Which exam boards cover Reverse Percentages?
All four we support — AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas. GCSE Maths subject content is set by the DfE, so the topic is common to every board; what changes is the paper structure and the grade boundaries.