Pie Charts

Questions on percentage and degree breakdowns.

45 solved questions · 17 easy · 19 medium · 9 hard

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Shortcuts & formulas

  • The whole pie is 100% = 360 degrees. So 1% = 3.6 degrees.
  • Central angle = (percentage / 100) x 360. Percentage = (angle / 360) x 100.
  • Value of a sector = (percentage / 100) x total, or (angle / 360) x total.
  • Compare two sectors of the same pie by their percentages or angles directly: the total cancels out.
  • When two pies have different totals, compare actual values, not percentages.
  • Difference between two sectors in percentage points x total / 100 gives the difference in value.
  • Check that the sectors add up to 100% or 360 degrees before starting.

Solved examples

Try each one first, then open the answer and the step-by-step solution.

Easy questions

Q1.

Monthly income of a family is ₹60,000, spent as follows (values read from a pie chart):

ItemShare (%)
Rent25
Food30
Education15
Transport10
Savings20

How much does the family spend on food each month?

  1. A₹18,000
  2. B₹15,000
  3. C₹12,000
  4. D₹21,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. ₹18,000

Solution

Food = 30% of ₹60,000 = 0.30 x 60,000 = ₹18,000 Answer: ₹18,000

Q2.

Monthly income of a family is ₹60,000, spent as follows (values read from a pie chart):

ItemShare (%)
Rent25
Food30
Education15
Transport10
Savings20

What is the central angle of the sector for Rent?

  1. A25°
  2. B90°
  3. C100°
  4. D75°
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 90°

Solution

Angle = 25% of 360 = 0.25 x 360 = 90 degrees Answer: 90°

Shortcut: 1% = 3.6 degrees, so 25% = 90 degrees.

Q3.

1,800 students chose one of five subjects. The central angles of the pie chart are:

SubjectAngle (degrees)
A72
B108
C54
D90
E36

What percentage of the students chose subject A?

  1. A18%
  2. B20%
  3. C25%
  4. D72%
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 20%

Solution

Share = 72/360 x 100 = 20% Answer: 20%

Q4.

1,800 students chose one of five subjects. The central angles of the pie chart are:

SubjectAngle (degrees)
A72
B108
C54
D90
E36

How many students chose subject B?

  1. A360
  2. B450
  3. C540
  4. D108
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 540

Solution

B = 108/360 x 1800 = 0.3 x 1800 = 540 Answer: 540

Q5.

Revenue of two companies by product, values read from two pie charts. Total revenue of X = ₹4,00,000; of Y = ₹6,00,000.

ProductX (%)Y (%)
Mobiles3020
Laptops2530
Tablets1510
Accessories2025
Others1015

What is X's revenue from Mobiles?

  1. A₹1,00,000
  2. B₹1,50,000
  3. C₹1,20,000
  4. D₹80,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. ₹1,20,000

Solution

30% of 4,00,000 = 0.30 x 4,00,000 = ₹1,20,000 Answer: ₹1,20,000

Q6.

Revenue of two companies by product, values read from two pie charts. Total revenue of X = ₹4,00,000; of Y = ₹6,00,000.

ProductX (%)Y (%)
Mobiles3020
Laptops2530
Tablets1510
Accessories2025
Others1015

What is Y's revenue from Laptops?

  1. A₹1,50,000
  2. B₹1,20,000
  3. C₹1,00,000
  4. D₹1,80,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. ₹1,80,000

Solution

30% of 6,00,000 = ₹1,80,000 Answer: ₹1,80,000

Q7.

The 2,40,000 working people of a town by occupation (values read from a pie chart):

OccupationShare (%)
Farmers35
Traders20
Government jobs15
Private jobs25
Others5

How many people have private jobs?

  1. A48,000
  2. B36,000
  3. C84,000
  4. D60,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 60,000

Solution

25% of 2,40,000 = 60,000 Answer: 60,000

Q8.

The 2,40,000 working people of a town by occupation (values read from a pie chart):

OccupationShare (%)
Farmers35
Traders20
Government jobs15
Private jobs25
Others5

What is the central angle of the sector for Farmers?

  1. A126°
  2. B35°
  3. C120°
  4. D112°
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 126°

Solution

35% of 360 = 0.35 x 360 = 126 degrees Answer: 126°

Q9.

72,000 valid votes were polled among four candidates. The pie chart angles are:

CandidateAngle (degrees)
A144
B108
C72
D36

What percentage of the votes did candidate C get?

  1. A20%
  2. B72%
  3. C25%
  4. D15%
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 20%

Solution

72/360 x 100 = 20% Answer: 20%

Q10.

72,000 valid votes were polled among four candidates. The pie chart angles are:

CandidateAngle (degrees)
A144
B108
C72
D36

How many votes did candidate B get?

  1. A28,800
  2. B21,600
  3. C14,400
  4. D18,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 21,600

Solution

B = 108/360 x 72,000 = 0.3 x 72,000 = 21,600 Answer: 21,600

Q11.

Total sales of a bookshop in a month were ₹2,50,000, distributed as below (values read from a pie chart):

CategoryShare (%)
Fiction28
Textbooks36
Comics15
Stationery12
Others9

What were the sales of Textbooks?

  1. A₹70,000
  2. B₹90,000
  3. C₹75,000
  4. D₹1,00,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. ₹90,000

Solution

36% of 2,50,000 = 0.36 x 2,50,000 = ₹90,000 Answer: ₹90,000

Q12.

Total sales of a bookshop in a month were ₹2,50,000, distributed as below (values read from a pie chart):

CategoryShare (%)
Fiction28
Textbooks36
Comics15
Stationery12
Others9

What is the central angle of the Comics sector?

  1. A15°
  2. B60°
  3. C54°
  4. D45°
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 54°

Solution

15% of 360 = 54 degrees Answer: 54°

Q13.

How a student spends a 24-hour day (central angles read from a pie chart):

ActivityAngle (degrees)
Sleep120
College90
Study60
Leisure45
Travel and others45

How many hours does the student sleep?

  1. A6
  2. B10
  3. C8
  4. D5
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 8

Solution

Sleep = 120/360 x 24 = 8 hours Answer: 8

Shortcut: 1 hour = 15 degrees, so 120 degrees = 8 hours.

Q14.

How a student spends a 24-hour day (central angles read from a pie chart):

ActivityAngle (degrees)
Sleep120
College90
Study60
Leisure45
Travel and others45

What percentage of the day is spent in College?

  1. A20%
  2. B30%
  3. C22.5%
  4. D25%
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 25%

Solution

90/360 x 100 = 25% Answer: 25%

Q15.

Total expenditure of a company in 2022 was ₹60 lakh (values read from a pie chart):

HeadShare (%)
Salaries40
Raw material25
Rent10
Marketing15
Miscellaneous10

How much was spent on Raw material (₹ lakh)?

  1. A12
  2. B18
  3. C25
  4. D15
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 15

Solution

25% of 60 = ₹15 lakh Answer: 15

Q16.

Total expenditure of a company in 2022 was ₹60 lakh (values read from a pie chart):

HeadShare (%)
Salaries40
Raw material25
Rent10
Marketing15
Miscellaneous10

What is the central angle of the Marketing sector?

  1. A54°
  2. B15°
  3. C45°
  4. D60°
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 54°

Solution

15% of 360 = 54 degrees Answer: 54°

Q17.

8,000 office-goers were surveyed on their usual mode of travel (values read from a pie chart):

ModeShare (%)
Bus30
Metro25
Car20
Bike15
Walk10

How many people usually travel by Metro?

  1. A2,000
  2. B2,400
  3. C1,600
  4. D1,200
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 2,000

Solution

25% of 8,000 = 2,000 Answer: 2,000

Medium questions

Q18.

Monthly income of a family is ₹60,000, spent as follows (values read from a pie chart):

ItemShare (%)
Rent25
Food30
Education15
Transport10
Savings20

How much is spent on Education and Transport together?

  1. A₹9,000
  2. B₹12,000
  3. C₹15,000
  4. D₹18,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. ₹15,000

Solution

Education + Transport = 15% + 10% = 25% 25% of 60,000 = ₹15,000 Answer: ₹15,000

Q19.

Monthly income of a family is ₹60,000, spent as follows (values read from a pie chart):

ItemShare (%)
Rent25
Food30
Education15
Transport10
Savings20

Food expenditure is what percentage more than Transport expenditure?

  1. A300%
  2. B100%
  3. C20%
  4. D200%
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 200%

Solution

Food = 30%, Transport = 10% of the same total. Difference = 20 points % more = 20/10 x 100 = 200% Answer: 200%

Q20.

1,800 students chose one of five subjects. The central angles of the pie chart are:

SubjectAngle (degrees)
A72
B108
C54
D90
E36

How many more students chose D than C?

  1. A36
  2. B90
  3. C270
  4. D180
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 180

Solution

Difference in angle = 90 - 54 = 36 degrees Students = 36/360 x 1800 = 180 Answer: 180

Q21.

1,800 students chose one of five subjects. The central angles of the pie chart are:

SubjectAngle (degrees)
A72
B108
C54
D90
E36

The number of students who chose E is what percentage of those who chose A?

  1. A50%
  2. B33.33%
  3. C40%
  4. D200%
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 50%

Solution

E : A = 36 : 72 (the total cancels) 36/72 x 100 = 50% Answer: 50%

Q22.

Revenue of two companies by product, values read from two pie charts. Total revenue of X = ₹4,00,000; of Y = ₹6,00,000.

ProductX (%)Y (%)
Mobiles3020
Laptops2530
Tablets1510
Accessories2025
Others1015

What is the ratio of X's revenue from Laptops to Y's revenue from Laptops?

  1. A5 : 9
  2. B5 : 6
  3. C25 : 30
  4. D2 : 3
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 5 : 9

Solution

X Laptops = 25% of 4,00,000 = ₹1,00,000 Y Laptops = 30% of 6,00,000 = ₹1,80,000 Ratio = 1,00,000 : 1,80,000 = 5 : 9 Answer: 5 : 9

Shortcut: Do not compare 25% and 30% directly: the totals differ.

Q23.

Revenue of two companies by product, values read from two pie charts. Total revenue of X = ₹4,00,000; of Y = ₹6,00,000.

ProductX (%)Y (%)
Mobiles3020
Laptops2530
Tablets1510
Accessories2025
Others1015

For how many products is Y's revenue strictly higher than X's revenue?

  1. A2
  2. B3
  3. C4
  4. D5
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 3

Solution

Values (₹ thousand) X vs Y: Mobiles 120 vs 120 (equal) Laptops 100 vs 180 (Y) Tablets 60 vs 60 (equal) Accessories 80 vs 150 (Y) Others 40 vs 90 (Y) Y is higher for 3 products. Answer: 3

Q24.

The 2,40,000 working people of a town by occupation (values read from a pie chart):

OccupationShare (%)
Farmers35
Traders20
Government jobs15
Private jobs25
Others5

How many people are in Government jobs and Others together?

  1. A36,000
  2. B48,000
  3. C60,000
  4. D12,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 48,000

Solution

15% + 5% = 20% 20% of 2,40,000 = 48,000 Answer: 48,000

Q25.

The 2,40,000 working people of a town by occupation (values read from a pie chart):

OccupationShare (%)
Farmers35
Traders20
Government jobs15
Private jobs25
Others5

How many more people are Farmers than Traders?

  1. A48,000
  2. B15,000
  3. C36,000
  4. D24,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 36,000

Solution

Difference = 35% - 20% = 15% 15% of 2,40,000 = 36,000 Answer: 36,000

Q26.

72,000 valid votes were polled among four candidates. The pie chart angles are:

CandidateAngle (degrees)
A144
B108
C72
D36

By how many votes did A win over B?

  1. A14,400
  2. B3,600
  3. C7,200
  4. D21,600
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 7,200

Solution

Angle difference = 144 - 108 = 36 degrees Votes = 36/360 x 72,000 = 7,200 Answer: 7,200

Q27.

72,000 valid votes were polled among four candidates. The pie chart angles are:

CandidateAngle (degrees)
A144
B108
C72
D36

How many more votes did C need to tie with A?

  1. A7,200
  2. B21,600
  3. C28,800
  4. D14,400
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 14,400

Solution

A = 144/360 x 72,000 = 28,800 C = 72/360 x 72,000 = 14,400 Needed = 28,800 - 14,400 = 14,400 Answer: 14,400

Q28.

Total sales of a bookshop in a month were ₹2,50,000, distributed as below (values read from a pie chart):

CategoryShare (%)
Fiction28
Textbooks36
Comics15
Stationery12
Others9

What were the combined sales of Fiction and Stationery?

  1. A₹90,000
  2. B₹70,000
  3. C₹1,25,000
  4. D₹1,00,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. ₹1,00,000

Solution

28% + 12% = 40% 40% of 2,50,000 = ₹1,00,000 Answer: ₹1,00,000

Q29.

Total sales of a bookshop in a month were ₹2,50,000, distributed as below (values read from a pie chart):

CategoryShare (%)
Fiction28
Textbooks36
Comics15
Stationery12
Others9

What is the ratio of Textbook sales to Others sales?

  1. A4 : 1
  2. B3 : 1
  3. C36 : 100
  4. D5 : 1
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 4 : 1

Solution

36% : 9% = 36 : 9 = 4 : 1 Answer: 4 : 1

Q30.

How a student spends a 24-hour day (central angles read from a pie chart):

ActivityAngle (degrees)
Sleep120
College90
Study60
Leisure45
Travel and others45

How many hours per day are spent on Leisure and Travel/others together?

  1. A6
  2. B4
  3. C5
  4. D7
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 6

Solution

Angle = 45 + 45 = 90 degrees Hours = 90/15 = 6 Answer: 6

Q31.

How a student spends a 24-hour day (central angles read from a pie chart):

ActivityAngle (degrees)
Sleep120
College90
Study60
Leisure45
Travel and others45

How many hours does the student study in a week (7 days)?

  1. A24
  2. B28
  3. C30
  4. D42
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 28

Solution

Study per day = 60/15 = 4 hours Per week = 4 x 7 = 28 hours Answer: 28

Q32.

Total expenditure of a company in 2022 was ₹60 lakh (values read from a pie chart):

HeadShare (%)
Salaries40
Raw material25
Rent10
Marketing15
Miscellaneous10

How much more was spent on Salaries than on Rent (₹ lakh)?

  1. A24
  2. B18
  3. C15
  4. D30
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 18

Solution

Difference = 40% - 10% = 30% 30% of 60 = ₹18 lakh Answer: 18

Q33.

Total expenditure of a company in 2022 was ₹60 lakh (values read from a pie chart):

HeadShare (%)
Salaries40
Raw material25
Rent10
Marketing15
Miscellaneous10

In 2023 the total expenditure rises by 20% with the same shares. What will be the expenditure on Salaries (₹ lakh)?

  1. A24
  2. B26.4
  3. C28.8
  4. D30
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 28.8

Solution

2023 total = 60 x 1.2 = ₹72 lakh Salaries = 40% of 72 = ₹28.8 lakh Answer: 28.8

Q34.

8,000 office-goers were surveyed on their usual mode of travel (values read from a pie chart):

ModeShare (%)
Bus30
Metro25
Car20
Bike15
Walk10

What is the combined central angle of Car and Bike?

  1. A120°
  2. B126°
  3. C130°
  4. D108°
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 126°

Solution

Car + Bike = 20% + 15% = 35% 35% of 360 = 126 degrees Answer: 126°

Q35.

8,000 office-goers were surveyed on their usual mode of travel (values read from a pie chart):

ModeShare (%)
Bus30
Metro25
Car20
Bike15
Walk10

60% of Metro users are women. How many men use the Metro?

  1. A1,200
  2. B600
  3. C800
  4. D1,000
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 800

Solution

Metro users = 2,000 Men = 40% of 2,000 = 800 Answer: 800

Q36.

8,000 office-goers were surveyed on their usual mode of travel (values read from a pie chart):

ModeShare (%)
Bus30
Metro25
Car20
Bike15
Walk10

How many more people travel by Bus than by Bike?

  1. A2,400
  2. B1,500
  3. C800
  4. D1,200
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 1,200

Solution

Difference = 30% - 15% = 15% 15% of 8,000 = 1,200 Answer: 1,200

Hard questions

Q37.

Monthly income of a family is ₹60,000, spent as follows (values read from a pie chart):

ItemShare (%)
Rent25
Food30
Education15
Transport10
Savings20

The family cuts its food expenditure by ₹3,000 and saves that amount. What is the new percentage of the income spent on Food?

  1. A25%
  2. B27%
  3. C28%
  4. D20%
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 25%

Solution

Food now = 18,000 - 3,000 = ₹15,000 % of income = 15,000/60,000 x 100 = 25% Answer: 25%

Q38.

1,800 students chose one of five subjects. The central angles of the pie chart are:

SubjectAngle (degrees)
A72
B108
C54
D90
E36

One-fifth of the students of A and one-third of the students of C later switch to another stream. How many students switched in all?

  1. A150
  2. B162
  3. C180
  4. D126
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. 162

Solution

A = 72/360 x 1800 = 360; one-fifth = 72 C = 54/360 x 1800 = 270; one-third = 90 Total = 72 + 90 = 162 Answer: 162

Q39.

Revenue of two companies by product, values read from two pie charts. Total revenue of X = ₹4,00,000; of Y = ₹6,00,000.

ProductX (%)Y (%)
Mobiles3020
Laptops2530
Tablets1510
Accessories2025
Others1015

The combined revenue from Mobiles of both companies is what percentage of their combined total revenue?

  1. A25%
  2. B22%
  3. C24%
  4. D20%
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 24%

Solution

Mobiles: 1,20,000 + 1,20,000 = ₹2,40,000 Total: 4,00,000 + 6,00,000 = ₹10,00,000 2,40,000/10,00,000 x 100 = 24% Answer: 24% The simple average of 30% and 20% (25%) is wrong because the totals differ.

Q40.

The 2,40,000 working people of a town by occupation (values read from a pie chart):

OccupationShare (%)
Farmers35
Traders20
Government jobs15
Private jobs25
Others5

If 10% of the Farmers become Traders, what percentage of all working people will then be Traders?

  1. A22%
  2. B30%
  3. C21.5%
  4. D23.5%
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 23.5%

Solution

10% of Farmers = 10% of 35% = 3.5% of the total Traders = 20% + 3.5% = 23.5% Answer: 23.5%

Q41.

72,000 valid votes were polled among four candidates. The pie chart angles are:

CandidateAngle (degrees)
A144
B108
C72
D36

One-fourth of A's voters had instead voted for D. What would D's central angle then be?

  1. A72°
  2. B45°
  3. C54°
  4. D108°
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 72°

Solution

A = 28,800; one-fourth = 7,200 D = 36/360 x 72,000 = 7,200, new D = 14,400 New angle = 14,400/72,000 x 360 = 72 degrees Answer: 72°

Shortcut: Shift 36 degrees (one-fourth of 144) to D: 36 + 36 = 72 degrees.

Q42.

Total sales of a bookshop in a month were ₹2,50,000, distributed as below (values read from a pie chart):

CategoryShare (%)
Fiction28
Textbooks36
Comics15
Stationery12
Others9

The Textbook sales of ₹90,000 were made at a profit of 20% on cost. What was the profit on Textbooks?

  1. A₹18,000
  2. B₹15,000
  3. C₹12,000
  4. D₹16,200
Show answer & solution

Answer: B. ₹15,000

Solution

SP = ₹90,000 = 120% of cost Cost = 90,000 x 100/120 = ₹75,000 Profit = 90,000 - 75,000 = ₹15,000 Answer: ₹15,000

Shortcut: Profit = SP x 20/120 = SP/6 = 15,000. (20% of SP, i.e. 18,000, is a common mistake.)

Q43.

How a student spends a 24-hour day (central angles read from a pie chart):

ActivityAngle (degrees)
Sleep120
College90
Study60
Leisure45
Travel and others45

The student increases study time by 50%, taking the extra time equally from Leisure and Travel/others. What is the new central angle of Leisure?

  1. A22.5°
  2. B15°
  3. C30°
  4. D45°
Show answer & solution

Answer: C. 30°

Solution

Study = 4 h, extra = 2 h Leisure = 3 h, Travel/others = 3 h; each loses 1 h New Leisure = 2 h Angle = 2 x 15 = 30 degrees Answer: 30°

Q44.

Total expenditure of a company in 2022 was ₹60 lakh (values read from a pie chart):

HeadShare (%)
Salaries40
Raw material25
Rent10
Marketing15
Miscellaneous10

In 2023, Salaries rise by ₹15 lakh and every other head stays the same as in 2022. What percentage of the 2023 total is spent on Salaries?

  1. A40%
  2. B50%
  3. C55%
  4. D52%
Show answer & solution

Answer: D. 52%

Solution

Salaries 2022 = 24; 2023 = 24 + 15 = 39 Total 2023 = 60 + 15 = 75 39/75 x 100 = 52% Answer: 52%

Q45.

8,000 office-goers were surveyed on their usual mode of travel (values read from a pie chart):

ModeShare (%)
Bus30
Metro25
Car20
Bike15
Walk10

40% of Bus users and 25% of Bike users are women. How many women in all use the Bus or the Bike?

  1. A1,260
  2. B1,200
  3. C1,380
  4. D960
Show answer & solution

Answer: A. 1,260

Solution

Bus users = 30% of 8,000 = 2,400; women = 40% of 2,400 = 960 Bike users = 15% of 8,000 = 1,200; women = 25% of 1,200 = 300 Total = 960 + 300 = 1,260 Answer: 1,260

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