How Do Percentages Work?
The term "percent" simply means "per hundred." A percentage is a mathematical way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100. For instance, 45% means 45 out of 100, or the fraction 45/100, which evaluates to 0.45.
Common Formulas
- Finding a percentage of a number:
To find X% of Y, use the formula:(X / 100) * Y. Let's say you scored 85% on a test worth 60 points. Your score is: (85 / 100) * 60 = 51 points. - Finding what percentage X is of Y:
To find what percentage X is of Y, use the formula:(X / Y) * 100. Let's say you got 42 out of 50 questions right. The percentage is: (42 / 50) * 100 = 84%.