The following table shows the sale of different brands of watches by a shop during 2014 — 2018. 

Year	Brand		(in thousands)
	Titan	Fastrack	Timex	Fossil
2014	366	205	247	96
2015	398	188	285	108
2016	312	175	388	112
2017	412	312	401	146
2018	288	202	255	126

Which of the given options represents the maximum percentage increase in sales over the preceding year?

Correct option is D

Formula Used:

​$$\text{Percentage Increase} = \frac{\text{Sales in Current Year} - \text{Sales in Previous Year}}{\text{Sales in Previous Year}} \times 100$$ 

Solution:

Titan 

2015: $$\frac{398 - 366}{366} \times 100 = \frac{32}{366} \times 100 \approx 8.74\%$$​​

2016: $$\frac{312 - 398}{398} \times 100 = \frac{-86}{398} \times 100 \approx -21.57\% \quad (\text{decrease})$$​​

2017: $$\frac{412 - 312}{312} \times 100 = \frac{100}{312} \times 100 \approx 32.05\%$$​​

2018: $$\frac{288 - 412}{412} \times 100 = \frac{-124}{412} \times 100 \approx -30.1\% \quad (\text{decrease})$$​​

Fastrack​

2015: $$\frac{188 - 205}{205} \times 100 = \frac{-17}{205} \times 100 \approx -8.29\% \quad (\text{decrease})$$​​

2016: $$\frac{175 - 188}{188} \times 100 = \frac{-13}{188} \times 100 \approx -6.91\% \quad (\text{decrease})$$​​

2017: $$\frac{312 - 175}{175} \times 100 = \frac{137}{175} \times 100 \approx 78.29\%$$​​

2018: $$\frac{202 - 312}{312} \times 100 = \frac{-110}{312} \times 100 \approx -35.26\% \quad (\text{decrease})$$​​

Timex

2015: $$\frac{285 - 247}{247} \times 100 = \frac{38}{247} \times 100 \approx 15.37\%$$​​

2016: $$\frac{388 - 285}{285} \times 100 = \frac{103}{285} \times 100 \approx 36.14\%$$​​

2017: $$\frac{401 - 388}{388} \times 100 = \frac{13}{388} \times 100 \approx 3.35\%$$​​

2018: $$\frac{255 - 401}{401} \times 100 = \frac{-146}{401} \times 100 \approx -36.4\% \quad (\text{decrease})$$​​

Fossil

Thus, The maximum percentage increase in sales over the preceding year is 78.29% for Fastrack in the year 2017.

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