Percentage Calculator

What is a Percentage?

Imagine you have a delicious cake, and you want to share it equally among your friends. Percentages can help you figure out how big each slice should be! A percentage is a way to describe a part of something in terms of 100 equal parts. Think of it as a way to break down a whole into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Calculating Percentages

The Basics of Percentages

To understand percentages, think of the word "percent" itself. It comes from the Latin words "per centum," which means "by the hundred." So when we talk about percentages, we're saying, "out of 100."

For example:

50% is like saying "50 out of 100" or half of something.
25% is like saying "25 out of 100" or one quarter of something.
100% means the whole thing.

Visualizing Percentages

Let's imagine a large pizza divided into 100 tiny slices. If you take 50 of those slices, you have 50% of the pizza. If you take another 25 slices, you have a total of 75% of the pizza.

Here’s a simple way to visualize it:

A whole pie chart represents 100%.
If we shade half of the pie, we're showing 50%.
If we shade a quarter of the pie, we're showing 25%.

Why Are Percentages Useful?

Percentages are incredibly useful in everyday life. Here are a few ways we use them:

Shopping: When you see a sign that says "20% off," it means you save 20 out of every 100 dollars you spend.

Grades: If you score 90 out of 100 on a test, your grade is 90%.

Weather: When the weather report says there's a "50% chance of rain," it means it’s just as likely to rain as it is to stay dry.

Health: Doctors might tell you that you have a "75% chance of recovery" based on certain treatments.

Example 1

Problem: What is 35% of 80?

Answer: 28

Solution:

Example 2

Problem: 15 is what percentage of 60?

Answer: 25%

Solution:

Example 3

Problem: 6 out of what is 20%?

Answer: 30%

Solution:

Example 4

Problem: What is the percentage increase from 20 to 30?

Answer: 50%

Solution:

Example 5

Problem: Increase 150 by 20%

Answer: 180

Solution: