Calculate What Percentage of One Number is Another

How to Calculate What Percentage of One Number is Another

Finding what percentage one number is of another is a handy skill that can be useful in various scenarios, like calculating discounts, growth rates, or proportions. Let's go through the steps together!

Step 1: Understand What a Percentage Represents

A percentage is simply a way of expressing one number as a fraction of another. It tells you how many parts of 100 one number is compared to another.

Step 2: Gather Your Numbers

To start, you'll need two numbers: the part (or smaller number) and the whole (or larger number). For example:

• Part: 50
• Whole: 200

Step 3: Divide the Part by the Whole

The next step is to divide the part by the whole. This will give you a decimal that represents the fraction of the whole that the part makes up.

Percentage (as a decimal) = Part / Whole

In our example: Decimal = 50 / 200 = 0.25

Step 4: Convert the Decimal to a Percentage

To convert the decimal to a percentage, multiply it by 100:

Percentage = Decimal × 100

In this example: Percentage = 0.25 × 100 = 25%

Step 5: Interpret the Result

The result tells you what percentage the part is of the whole. In our case, 50 is 25% of 200.

Let's Recap:

• A Percentage expresses how one number compares to another, in terms of parts per 100.
• Gather Your Numbers: You need the part and the whole.
• Divide the Part by the Whole to get a decimal.
• Convert to Percentage: Multiply the decimal by 100.
• Interpret the Result: The result tells you what percentage the part is of the whole.