Percent of a Number

When asked to find a certain percent of a number, you must first change
the percent to a decimal or fraction, and then MULTIPLY that by the
number.

25% of 12
= .25 X 12
(decimal)
OR
= X 12
(fraction)
=3

So the word of can be translated to multiplied by

Example 1

Find 40% of 45.

This can be also stated, What is 40% of 45?

= .40 X 45

You try: Find 20% of 75

Find 135% of 24

What is 135% of 24?

Remember 135% is a number bigger than 1, since it is bigger than 100%
Convert to decimal: 135% = 1.35
135% of 24
=1.35X 24
=32.4

You try this: Find 130% of 10.

 6.5 Solving Percent Problems

Example: 10 is 50% of 20
amount % base
Amount = times
(Part)
Amount = % Base
% Base
(Percent) (Whole) Base = Amount/ %

% = Amount/Base
** Note: Must change % to decimal before multiplying. Drop the
% sign and move the decimal point two places to the LEFT. If
there is no decimal place, just start at the % sign.
10 is 50% of 20
10 = 50% 20
10 = .50 20
10 = 10

What good is it to show 10=10? I already know that!

How about this question:

What number is 160% of 15.8?

amount % base
Usually, the number before the word, is is the amount
and the number after the word of is the base.
In this case we are asking for the amount.
Amount = 160% 15.8 = 1.60 15.8 = 25.28
Why is the Amount bigger than the base?
 14 is what percent of 32?

amount % base
amount
Amount
Percent = base
Base %

This equation gives you the percent as a decimal value,

though, so you must then convert it to a percent by moving
the decimal place to the RIGHT two places and then putting
a % sign at the end.
14
Percent = = 0.4375 = 43.75%
32
 amount
Amount
Base = base
Percent %

31.5 is 33 % of what number?

amount % base
How do you write 33 as a decimal? We cant write it as . 33
This is a special percent. To convert it we first have to change it to a fraction with
denominator 100.
1 33 3 + 1 100
33
1 100 1 1
33 % = 3 = 3 = 3 = = = .3
3 100 100 100 3 100 3
If you get a repeating decimal when converting a decimal, its better to leave it as
a fraction, so change 33 % to 1/3.

Amount 31.5 3
Base = = = 31.5 = 94.5
Percent 1 1
3
 Circle Graphs (or Pie Charts)

A circle graph (aka Pie Chart) is a specialized graph used in statistics

in which the relative proportions of parts of a whole (usually given as
percentages) are shown as different size wedges of a pie. All the
wedges of the pie add up to 100%.

2004 Presidential Election

John Kerry
38%

Preident Bush
62%

According to the pie chart above, find the number of states won by
George W. Bush in the 2004 Presidential Elections.

What are we being asked to find?

Given: Percentage of votes of each candidate.
What is the base?
What is the amount?

You do this:
What % of e-mail Types of E-mail Messages
messages are Spam? Other
4%
Work or School
5%
Request e-
commerce Spam
16% ?

Family and
Friends
31%