In the first quarter of 2008, Harry's Hardware Store sold 300 hammers and 12,000 nails. In the second quarter of 2008, the store sold 375 hammers and 18,000 nails. By approximately what percent did the ratio of hammers sold to nails sold decrease from the first quarter to the second quarter.
Choose the correct choice from the following answers.
A) 0.4%  B) 2.1%  C) 2.5%  D) 17%  E) 25%
1st quarter: hammers/nails = 300/12,000 = 150/6000   2nd quarter: hammers/nails = 375/18,000 = 125/6000   ASIDE: It's useful to write both ratios with the same denominator. This allows us to IGNORE the denominator and focus solely on the numerators.   So, our ratio went from 150/6000 to 125/6000   Ignoring the denominators, we went from 150 to 125   The percent change = 100(difference in values)/(original value)   = (100)(150 - 125)/150   = (100)(25)/150)   = (100)(1)/(6)   = 100/6   ≈ 16.666 ;   ANSWER:17%
<result>D</result>
In the first quarter of 2008, Harry's Hardware Store sold 300 hammers and 12,000 nails. In the second quarter of 2008, the store sold 375 hammers and 18,000 nails. By approximately what percent did the ratio of hammers sold to nails sold decrease from the first quarter to the second quarter.