Solving a Nursery Plant Problem: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding how to calculate the number of plants in a nursery when given specific percentages can be a valuable skill, especially for students and professionals in horticulture and related fields. In this guide, we will break down a common problem involving a nursery with 5000 plants, where 5% are rese plants and 1% are mango plants. We'll walk through the step-by-step process to find the total number of other plants.

The Problem Recap

A nursery contains a total of 5000 plants. Among these, 5 percent are rese plants, and 1 percent are mango plants. To find the total number of other plants, we need to perform the following calculations:

Step-by-Step Solution

1. Calculate the Number of Rese Plants

Rese plants account for 5% of the total 5000 plants. To find the exact number:

Convert the percentage to a fraction: 5% 5/100. Multiply the total number of plants by this fraction: $frac{5}{100} times 5000 250$

Therefore, there are 250 rese plants in the nursery.

2. Calculate the Number of Mango Plants

Mango plants make up 1% of the total. Again, convert the percentage to a fraction: 1% 1/100. Now, multiply:

Convert the percentage to a fraction: 1% 1/100. Multiply the total number of plants by this fraction: $frac{1}{100} times 5000 50$

This reveals that there are 50 mango plants in the nursery.

3. Find the Total Number of Rese and Mango Plants

The total number of rese and mango plants is:

$250 50 300$

4. Calculate the Number of Other Plants

To find the total number of other plants, subtract the number of rese and mango plants from the total number of plants:

$5000 - 300 4700$

Therefore, the total number of other plants in the nursery is 4700.

Key Concepts in Calculating Plant Percentages

When dealing with percentages in real-world scenarios, it's crucial to remember the steps for converting percentages to fractions and then multiplying by the total number. This approach can be applied to various similar problems involving percentages and totals.

Practice Problem

To further reinforce your understanding, try solving the following problem:

A stationery store has 2000 items in stock. If 10% of these are pens, 15% are pencils, and 3% are erasers, how many other items are there in the store?

Remember to use the same method as demonstrated in the nursery plant problem to solve this. Good luck!

Conclusion

Mastering percentage calculations can greatly enhance your ability to solve practical problems in various fields, such as horticulture, retail, and more. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily determine the number of a specific type of plant or item in a collection, making you a more efficient and effective problem-solver.

References

1. Nursery plant problem guide 2. Basic mathematics for horticulture 3. Percentage calculation techniques