A percentage is a way of expressing a part of a whole as a fraction of 100. Percent means "per hundred," so when we talk about percentages, we are referring to a portion of something expressed as a fraction of 100.
For example, if you scored 80 out of 100 on a test, your percentage score would be 80 percent.
To convert a fraction to a percentage, you can multiply the fraction by 100. For example, to convert the fraction 3/4 to a percentage, you would multiply it by 100 to get 75%.
To convert a percentage to a fraction or decimal, you can divide the percentage by 100. For example, to convert 60% to a decimal, you would divide it by 100 to get 0.6.
Percentages can be used to compare values, such as finding the percentage increase or decrease between two values. To find the percentage increase between two values, you can use the formula:
percentage increase = [(new value - old value) / old value] x 100%
For example, if the price of a product increased from $50 to $60, the percentage increase would be:
[(60 - 50) / 50] x 100% = 20%
To find the percentage decrease, you would use the same formula but with the new value subtracted from the old value.
Percentages can also be used to calculate proportions or ratios. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of sugar, you could express this as a ratio of 2:1 or as a proportion of 67% flour and 33% sugar (since 2 cups is two-thirds or 67% of the total of 3 cups).
It is important to be careful when working with percentages, as small errors can lead to significant differences in the final result. It is always a good idea to double-check your calculations and make sure you are using the correct formulas and units.