How to Find Percentage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you struggling to find the percentage of a given value? Do you want to know how to calculate percentage increase or decrease? Look no further! This article will walk you through the simple steps to find percentage, with examples and illustrations to help you understand the concept.

What is Percentage?

Before we dive into the calculation process, let’s define what percentage is. A percentage is a way to express a value as a fraction of 100. It’s a dimensionless ratio that represents a part of a whole. For example, 25% means “25 out of every 100.”

The Formula to Find Percentage

The formula to find percentage is straightforward:

Percentage = (Part/Whole) × 100

Where:

• Part: The value you want to find the percentage for
• Whole: The total value or the base value

Example 1: Simple Percentage Calculation

Suppose you want to find the percentage of the number 20 out of the number 80. To do this:

1. Identify the part (20) and the whole (80).
2. Divide the part by the whole: 20 ÷ 80 = 0.25
3. Multiply the result by 100: 0.25 × 100 = 25%

Therefore, the percentage of 20 out of 80 is 25%.

Example 2: Percentage Increase

Let’s say you have a salary of \(50,000 last year and this year it has increased to \)55,000. To find the percentage increase:

1. Identify the part (the increase: \(5,000) and the whole (the original salary: \)50,000).
2. Divide the part by the whole: \(5,000 ÷ \)50,000 = 0.10
3. Multiply the result by 100: 0.10 × 100 = 10%

Therefore, your salary has increased by 10%.

Example 3: Percentage Decrease

Now, let’s say you had \(100 in your bank account last year, and this year it has decreased to \)90. To find the percentage decrease:

1. Identify the part (the decrease: \(10) and the whole (the original amount: \)100).
2. Divide the part by the whole: \(10 ÷ \)100 = 0.10
3. Multiply the result by 100: 0.10 × 100 = 10%

Therefore, your bank account has decreased by 10%.

Tips and Tricks

• Make sure to use correct units when calculating percentages. For example, if you’re calculating a percentage increase in weight, make sure the units are in grams or kilograms.
• In some cases, you might need to convert the units before calculating the percentage.
• When dealing with decimals, be careful not to round off the result prematurely. Instead, calculate the percentage to the desired decimal place (e.g., 0.01) and then round off.

Conclusion

Finding percentage is a straightforward process that requires a simple formula and some basic arithmetic operations. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to calculate percentage increase, decrease, and find the percentage of a given value. Remember to use the correct units, convert if necessary, and be careful with decimals. With practice, you’ll become a pro at finding percentage in no time!