Business Math

Practice percentages, unit costs, margins and forecast assumptions. Use consistent units and fictional numbers.

4 lessonsPractice LabFinal assessmentCompletion certificate

0/4 lessons complete · Best assessment: 0% · Project pending

01 · Units and proportionsOpen lesson

A learner examines individual jars beside a carton, calculator and notes. — Units and proportions · Original lesson illustration

Check what each number represents before calculating. Quantities, prices, hours and percentages cannot be mixed without a defined relationship. Unit rates make comparisons easier, but ensure that sizes and quality are comparable. Keep enough precision during calculation and round the final result appropriately for the question.

Worked example

A $24 pack of six items has a $4 unit cost.

Try it yourself

Compare two fictional pack unit prices.

A $24 pack of six has unit cost of?$4$6$24

02 · Percent change and discountsOpen lessonLocked — complete previous lessons

A shopkeeper reviews pricing with a calculator beside a product display. — Percent change and discounts · Original lesson illustration

A percentage is relative to a stated base. A 10% increase followed by a 10% decrease does not return to the original value because the bases differ. For a discount, calculate the reduction and subtract it from the price. Label whether the question asks for the discount amount or the final price.

Worked example

A $50 item at 20% off has a $10 discount and a $40 final price before other charges.

Try it yourself

Calculate a 15% discount on a fictional $80 item.

A 20% discount on $50 leaves what price?$10$30$40

03 · Profit, markup and marginOpen lessonLocked — complete previous lessons

A learner compares cost and price records beside a mug and calculator. — Profit, markup and margin · Original lesson illustration

Define what costs are included before calling a difference profit. Markup divides the difference by cost; margin divides it by selling price. A gross or contribution measure may omit overhead, financing or taxes. Show the formula so a reader can understand which measure is being used rather than relying on the percentage alone.

Worked example

Cost $60 and price $100 gives a 40% margin and about 66.7% markup.

Try it yourself

Calculate both measures for cost $75 and price $100.

Margin is measured relative to?Cost onlyQuantity regardless of priceSelling price

04 · Forecasts and sensitivityOpen lessonLocked — complete previous lessons

A business owner compares several stock-order scenarios. — Forecasts and sensitivity · Original lesson illustration

A forecast uses assumptions about price, costs and activity. Multiply or total consistently and test how results change when an input changes. Distinguish fixed from variable costs in simple models. A precise numerical output does not make uncertain assumptions certain. Present a range when one scenario would be misleading.

Worked example

A sales plan tests 80, 100 and 120 units instead of reporting only the optimistic case.

Try it yourself

Complete your calculation sheet with one sensitivity test.

What should accompany a forecast?A promise of exact resultsAssumptions and relevant uncertaintyOnly many decimal places

Your completion certificate

All 4 lessons, project self-review and final assessment at 80% or higher.

Estimated study time: 2 hours. Includes reading, practice, projects and assessment; individual time varies.

Certificate locked — complete all requirements listed above. Existing progress is preserved.

About estimated study time

Lifehelper estimates time from lesson length, worked exercises, practice sessions, project work and assessments. Short foundation courses use approximately two hours; larger courses and multi-level programs use higher estimates. This is not a timer, accredited credit or verified attendance.

Documents completion of an independent Lifehelper course. Not a license, accredited qualification, or official professional certification. Estimated study time is a course estimate, not verified activity hours.