Directions : Study the following table carefully and answer the questions that follow: (Bank P.O., 2011) Semester Fees (In ₹ thousands) For Five Different Courses In 6 Different Years | Years | B.Tech | M.Sc. | B.Ed. | M.Phil | Diploma | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2005 | 11.5 | 5.8 | 7.5 | 4.7 | 1.8 | | 2006 | 14.5 | 6.4 | 11.6 | 5.8 | 3.2 | | 2007 | 20.0 | 10.2 | 13.9 | 8.6 | 4.8 | | 2008 | 22.2 | 14.6 | 15.8 | 12.7 | 5.6 | | 2009 | 35.8 | 17.7 | 18.5 | 25.1 | 12.5 | | 2010 | 50.7 | 20.9 | 22.6 | 18.9 | 14.9 | What was the approximate per cent increase in the semester fees of B.Ed course in the year 2007 as compared to the previous year ?

### Concept & Percentage Increase To find the percentage increase from one period to the next, calculate the difference between the final and initial values, divide by the initial value, and multiply by 100. $$ \text{Percentage Increase} = \left( \frac{\text{Final Value} - \text{Initial Value}}{\text{Initial Value}} \right) \times 100 $$ ### Step-by-Step Solution 1. **Identify Initial Value:** The fee for B.Ed in the previous year (2006) is $11.6$ (in ₹ thousands). 2. **Identify Final Value:** The fee for B.Ed in 2007 is $13.9$ (in ₹ thousands). 3. **Calculate Difference:** $13.9 - 11.6 = 2.3$ 4. **Calculate Percentage:** $$ \left( \frac{2.3}{11.6} \right) \times 100 \approx \left( \frac{23}{116} \right) \times 100 $$ $$ \approx 0.1982 \times 100 = 19.82\% $$ 5. **Approximate:** $19.82\%$ is approximately $20\%$. ### Exam Strategy & Shortcut Instead of precise division, look at the fraction $2.3 / 11.6$. Notice that $11.6$ is close to $11.5$, and $2.3 \times 5 = 11.5$. Therefore, the fraction is very close to $1/5$, which is exactly $20\%$. This avoids heavy calculation. ### Common Pitfall A common mistake is dividing the difference by the *final* year's value instead of the *base/previous* year's value, which would give $2.3 / 13.9 \approx 16.5\%$. Always divide by the starting point. ### Final Answer Therefore, the correct answer is **20 %**.