How to calculate percentage?

Calculating percentages is a fundamental mathematical skill that involves determining a proportion or rate relative to a whole. Here’s how to calculate percentages:

1. Convert Percentage to Decimal: If you’re given a percentage, the first step is to convert it to a decimal. Divide the percentage by 100 to get the decimal form. For example, 25% would be converted to 0.25, and 75% would be 0.75.
2. Calculate Percentage of a Number: To find what a certain percentage of a number is, multiply the decimal equivalent of the percentage by the number. For instance, to calculate 25% of 80: Percentage of 80 = 0.25 * 80 = 20
3. Calculate Percentage Increase or Decrease: If you want to find the percentage increase or decrease between two numbers, use the following formula: Percentage Change = [(New Value – Old Value) / Old Value] * 100 For example, if the old value is 50 and the new value is 70: Percentage Change = [(70 – 50) / 50] * 100 = (20 / 50) * 100 = 0.4 * 100 = 40% So, there is a 40% increase.
4. Calculate Percentage of a Whole: To find what percentage one number represents of another number (the whole), divide the part by the whole and multiply by 100. For example, if you have 20 red marbles out of a total of 100 marbles: Percentage of red marbles = (20 / 100) * 100 = 20%
5. Calculate Percentage Points: Sometimes, you might need to find the difference between two percentages, often referred to as percentage points. Simply subtract one percentage from another to find the difference. For example, if one year the sales were 40% and the next year they were 45%: Percentage points = 45% – 40% = 5%

Remember, percentages are a way to express a part of a whole relative to 100. Whether you’re calculating discounts, taxes, or changes, understanding percentages is a valuable skill in many real-life situations.