\( 0.41 \% \) of what is 21.84 ? \begin{tabular}{|cc}\hline 5,000 \\ \hline 5 & 2,000 \\ \hline 500 \\ \hline 200 \\ \hline 2 \\ \hline\end{tabular}

To find \( x \) such that \( 0.41\% \) of \( x \) equals \( 21.84 \), you can set up the equation: \[ 0.0041 \cdot x = 21.84 \] From this, you can solve for \( x \) by dividing both sides by \( 0.0041 \): \[ x = \frac{21.84}{0.0041} \approx 532.56 \] It's always handy to know how percentages affect numbers in real life! For instance, percentages are commonly used in finance—when calculating interest rates, discounts, or profit margins. Whenever you're in a store and see a sign saying “20% off,” you’re experiencing the magic of percentages at work! A common mistake when dealing with percentages is to forget to convert the percentage into decimal form. For example, turning \( 0.41\% \) into a decimal means moving the decimal point two places to the left, giving you \( 0.0041 \). Every time you're working with percentages, make sure you've got that conversion right before proceeding!