How to Calculate Percentages
For calculating percentage problems there are many formulas we can use. The most basic one would look like: X/Y = P x 100. The formulas listed below are all mathematical variations of this formula.
The three basic percentage problems would look like this. X and Y are number, P is the percentage:
a) Find P percent of X - Calculator 1
We will use the P% * X = Y formula here to find the percentage of a number. Let's calculate the 20% of 400:
• Let's convert the problem by using the percentage formula: P% * X = Y
• P is 20%, X is 400, so the equation is 20% * 400 = Y
• Convert 20% to a decimal by removing the percent sign and dividing by 100: 20/100 = 0.20
• Substitute 0.20 for 20% in the equation: 20% * 400= Y becomes 0.20 * 400 = Y
• Finally do the math: 0.20 * 400 = 80, Y = 80
• So 20% of 400 is 80
b) Find what percent of X is Y - Calculator 2
Here we will use the percentage formula: Y/X = P% Let's see what percent of 40 is 6?
• Convert the problem to an equation using the formula: Y/X = P%
• X is 40, Y is 6, so the equation is 6/40 = P%
• Do the math: 6/40 = 0.15
• The result will always be in decimal form, not percentage form. You need to multiply the result by 100 to get the percentage.
• Converting 0.15 to a percent: 0.15 * 100 = 15%
• So 15% of 40 is 6.
c) Find X if P percent of it is Y - Calculator 3
Let's use the percentage formula Y/P% = X to find out 10 is 20% of what?
• Convert the problem to an equation using the percentage formula: Y/P% = X
• Y is 10, P% is 20, so the equation is 10/20% = X
• Convert the percentage to a decimal by dividing by 100.
• Converting 20% to a decimal: 20/100 = 0.20
• Substitute 0.20 for 20% in the equation: 10/0.20 = X
• Do the math: 10/0.20 = X
• X = 50
• So 10 is 20% of 50
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