A basket initially contains 300 mangoes. If 75 mangoes are distributed among some students, what percentage of mangoes remain in the basket afterward?

Introduction / Context:
This question examines the basic use of percentages to express a remaining quantity after distributing or removing some part of a whole. Such problems are common in aptitude exams and reinforce the idea that percentage is just a ratio multiplied by 100. Understanding how to convert a fraction of remaining items into a percentage helps in many data interpretation and arithmetic questions that involve stocks, inventory and simple distribution scenarios.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Total number of mangoes in the basket initially = 300.
• Mangoes distributed among students = 75.
• Mangoes left in the basket = total mangoes − distributed mangoes.
• We are required to find the percentage of mangoes left relative to the initial total of 300 mangoes.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to find the remaining quantity and then convert that remaining quantity into a percentage of the original total. To get the remaining quantity, subtract the number of distributed mangoes from the initial number of mangoes. Then, the percentage remaining is (remaining number / original number) * 100. This approach is a straightforward application of the percentage formula and does not require any advanced tricks, making it a classic easy level problem.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Initial number of mangoes in the basket = 300. Step 2: Number of mangoes distributed = 75. Step 3: Mangoes remaining in the basket = 300 − 75 = 225. Step 4: Required percentage of mangoes left = (remaining / original) * 100. Step 5: Percentage remaining = (225 / 300) * 100. Step 6: Simplify the fraction 225 / 300 = 3/4, so percentage = (3/4) * 100 = 75%.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another quick way is to find what fraction 75 is of 300. Since 75 / 300 = 1/4, we can see that 25% of the mangoes were distributed. If 25% were distributed, the remaining percentage must be 100% − 25% = 75%. This matches the earlier result from direct calculation and confirms that the answer 75% is correct and consistent from both perspectives.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 70% would correspond to 30% of the mangoes being distributed, which would be 90 mangoes, not 75.
• 72% would mean 28% distribution, equal to 84 mangoes, which again does not match the given data.
• 76% would imply only 24% distribution, equal to 72 mangoes, which is close but not exact.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to miscalculate the remaining mangoes, for example by adding instead of subtracting. Another error is handling the fraction to percentage step incorrectly, often due to arithmetic mistakes in division or multiplication. Some students also mistakenly compute 75 / 225 instead of 225 / 300. Always remember that the denominator in percentage calculation is the original total quantity unless the question explicitly states otherwise.

Final Answer:
The percentage of mangoes left in the basket is 75%.