What is a Percentage?
- A percentage is a way of showing a number as parts per hundred. The symbol ‘%’ means ‘out of 100’.
- Example: 9% means 9 out of every 100.
- Percentages, fractions, and decimals are all different ways of expressing the same thing.
- 50% is the same as the fraction ½ and the decimal 0.5.
How to Find a Percentage of an Amount
You can calculate percentages using different methods. Choose the one that works best for you!
Method 1: The Fraction Method
- Convert the percentage to a fraction over 100.
- Multiply this fraction by the amount.
Example: Find 16% of 40
- 16% = 16/100
- (16/100) × 40 = 640 / 100 = 6.4
Method 2: The Decimal Method (Great for Calculators)
- Convert the percentage to a decimal by dividing by 100.
- Multiply this decimal by the amount.
Example: Find 16% of 40
- 16% = 16 ÷ 100 = 0.16
- 0.16 × 40 = 6.4
Method 3: Using 10% (The Non-Calculator Trick)
The key fact to remember is:
- To find 10% of any number, simply divide it by 10.
Once you know 10%, you can work out almost any other percentage:
Example: Find 20% of 60
- 10% of 60 = 60 ÷ 10 = 6
- 20% is double 10%, so 6 × 2 = 12
Other useful facts:
- To find 5%, find 10% and then halve it.
- To find 1%, divide the number by 100.
[math_quiz topic=”percentages” count=”5″ show_answers=”yes”]
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