Reporting With Numbers

1) A local college releases figures showing that its total busget is $120 million. Of that total, $80 million comes from the state, $6 million from student tuition, and the remaining $34 million from fees, grants, and gifts.

$120 million budget...

66%- State

28%- Fees, grants, gifts

5%- Student tuition

A local college releases figures showing that its total budget is $120 million. Of that total, 66 percent comes from the state, 28 percent comes from fees, grants, and gifts, and five percent comes from student tuition.

2) Your editor assigns you to do a story about prison sentences handed down in cases of aggravated assault. He gives you the following figures from an anti-crime group that is lobbying for tougher sentencing guidelines. The cases represent the people convicted for aggravated assault in San Jose in one month in 2006.

The average prison term is 22 months.

The median prison term is 12 months.

In the cases represented for people convicted of aggravated assault in the city of San Jose, the average prison term served is 22 months. The within the cases is 12 months, this would be the most accurate figure due to the fact that some prisoners served extremely longer than others, which increased the average prison term total dramatically. 

3) The state legislature is considering exempting restaurant food sales from the sales tax in the same way grocery sales are exempt.

State sales tax : 8.25%

Individuals who spend $5 dollars a week would save $21.32 per year if the taxes were exempt.

$5 x 52 weeks = $260 per year

$5 x .0825 = .4125, round down to 41 cents  $5 dollars = 5.41

$5.41 x 52 = $281.32

$281.32 - $260.00 = $21.32

An individual spending $20 per week on food would save $85.28.