A Percentage is simply a way of expressing a part of a whole. It means a number or ratio defined as a fraction of 100. This task is not complex if you have the right guide and steps.
For example, 50% means 50 out of 100, or half of something. Percentage is used in everyday situations, such as grades, discounts, taxes, statistics, etc.
Calculating percentages can be done using different methods and formulas, depending on your goals. This post provides practical tips for calculating percentages using various techniques.
Method 1: Find the Percentage of a Number
This is probably one of the most basic mathematical questions you may be asked. Let’s take, for example, what 25% of 80 is. Or what is 15% of 300?
To find the percentage of a number, you can make use of this simple formula:
Percentage of a number = (percentage / 100) x number
This means dividing the percentage by 10 and then multiplying it by the number. For example, to find 25% of 80, you can do this:
25% of 80 = (25 / 100) x 80
= 0.25 x 80
= 20
Therefore, the percentage % of 80 is 20.
Another example: to find 15% of 300, you can do this:
15% of 300 = (15 / 100) x 300
= 0.15 x 300
= 45
So, 15% of 300 is 45.
Fun Tip: You can also use a calculator to find the percentage of a number. Enter the percentage as a decimal, then multiply it by the number. For example, to find 25% of 80, you can enter 0.25 x 80 on your calculator and get 20.
Method 2: Find the Percentage of a Part and a Whole
This is a common question many people may have:” How do you find the percentage of a part and a whole?” For example, what percentage of 120 is 36? Or what percentage of 50 is 10?
To calculate the percentage of a part and a whole, you can use this formula:
Percentage = (part / whole) x 100
This means dividing the part by the whole and multiplying it by 100. For example, to calculate what percentage of 120 is 36, you can do this:
Percentage = (36 / 120) x 100
= 0.3 x 100
= 30
So, 36 is 30% of 120.
Example 2:
To find what percentage of 50 is 10, you can do this:
Percentage = (10 / 50) x 100
= 0.2 x 100
= 20
So, 10 is 20% of 50.
Fun Tip: You can also use a calculator to find the percentage of a part and a whole. Enter the part divided by the whole, then multiply it by 100.
For example, to find what percentage of 120 is 36, you can enter 36 / 120 x 100 on your calculator and get 30.
Method 3: Find the Percentage Change
Another helpful question you may have is how to find the percentage change. For example, how much did the price increase or decrease? Or how much did the population grow or shrink?
To calculate percentage change, you can use this formula:
Percentage change = ((new value – old value) / old value) x 100
This means you subtract the old value from the new one and divide it by the old one. Then, you multiply it by 100. For example, to find the percentage change from 80 to 100, you can do this:
Percentage change = ((100 – 80) / 80) x 100
= (20 / 80) x 100
= 0.25 x 100
= 25
So, the percentage change from 80 to 100 is 25%.
Another example: to find the percentage change from 50 to 40, you can do this:
Percentage change = ((40 – 50) / 50) x 100
= (-10 / 50) x 100
= -0.2 x 100
= -20
So, the percentage change from 50 to 40 is -20%.
I have a fun tip for you. You can also use a calculator to spot the percentage change. Please enter the new value minus the previous value and divide it by the last value.
Then, multiply it by 100. For example, to find the percentage change from 80 to 100, enter (100 – 80) / 80 x 100 on your calculator and get 25.
Conclusion
This blog post explains the different methods for calculating percentages quickly. Follow the steps as stated above to get accurate results.