1) A local college releases figures showing that its total budget is $120 million. Of that total, $80 million comes from the state, $6 million from student tuition, and the remaining $34 million from fees, grants and gifts.
Figure the percentage of the college’s budget that comes from each source
Percentage of the college’s budget that comes from the state: 66.67%
Percentage of the college’s budget that comes from student tuition: 5%
Percentage of the college’s budget that comes from fees, grants and gifts: 28.33%
Identify the significance of each funding source (the most vs. the least, etc.).
The most significant funds come from the state ($80 million), then from fees, grants and gifts ($34 million), and finally from student tuition ($6 million).
Using plain words, instead of numbers, explain the proportion of funding that comes from different sources. Say it in the way you think would make it most easily understood.
A local college releases figures showing that its total budget is $120 million. More than half of the total budget comes from the state, around one third of it comes from fees, grants and gifts, and a very small percentage of the total budget comes from the student tuition.
2) Your editor assigns you to do a story about prison sentences handed down in cases of aggravated assault. He gives you the following figures from an anti-crime group that is lobbying for tougher sentencing guidelines. The cases represent the people convicted for aggravated assault in San Jose in one month in 2006.
Name Sentence
Ron Nguyen 1 year prison, 2 years probation (12 months prison, 24 months probation)
Richard Smith 1 year prison, 1 year probation (12 months prison, 12 months probation)
Wesley Mitchell 14 months prison, 1 year probation (14 months prison, 12 months probation)
Mary Carr-Jones 1 year prison, 1 year probation (12 months prison, 12 months probation)
Carl Rodriguez 1 year prison, 2 years probation (12 months prison, 24 months probation)
Harold Rothstein 8 months prison, 1 year probation (8 months prison, 12 months probation)
Michael Reese 7 years prison, 5 years probation (84 months prison, 60 months probation)
Calculate the average prison term for people convicted of aggravated assault, taking care to convert some of the terms to figures that will compare properly (months vs. years).
The average prison term for people convicted of aggravated assault is 22 months.
Calculate the media prison term for people convicted of aggravated assault.
The media prison tern for people convicted of aggravated assault is 12 months or 1 year.
Explain why you think the average or the median is the most accurate description of prison terms.
I think the median is most accurate description of prison terms. There are more than half of people, 4 out of 7, sentenced for 12 months prison. And as calculating the media prison term is 12 months, which makes more sense than the average prison term 22 months.
3) The state legislature is considering exempting restaurant food sales from the sales tax in the same way grocery sales are exempt.
Explain how much fast-food patrons who pay $5 per meal would save in a year if they eat out once a week. Base your calculations on the state sales tax only, not local/city taxes.
$5 per meal
1 year = 52 weeks
$5 x 52 weeks = $260 no tax
$5 x 1.0825 tax x 52 weeks = $ 281.45 with tax
$281.45 – $260 = $ 21.45 Saved
Explain how much people would save if they spend $20 per meal once a week for a year.
$20 per meal
1 year = 52 weeks
$20 x 52 weeks = $1040 no tax
$20 x 1.0825 tax x 52 weeks = $1125.80 with tax
$1125.80 – $1040 = $ 85.80 Saved
