Calculating percentages might look tricky at first, but it can be quite easy if you follow some simple steps. Let's break it down together!

What is a Percentage?

A percentage is just a way to show how much of something there is out of 100.

For example, when we say “25%,” we mean 25 out of every 100 things.

Simple Formula to Calculate Percentages

To calculate a percentage of a number, you can use this easy formula:

[ \text{Percentage of a number} = \left(\frac{\text{Percentage}}{100}\right) \times \text{Number} ]

Let’s say you want to find $30\%$ of $50$. Here’s how you do it:

[ 30% \text{ of } 50 = \left(\frac{30}{100}\right) \times 50 = 0.3 \times 50 = 15 ]

Steps to Calculate Percentages

1. Turn the Percentage into a Decimal: First, you need to convert the percentage into a decimal. You do this by dividing by 100.

   For example, $20\%$ becomes $0.20$.

2. Multiply by the Number: Next, take that decimal number and multiply it by the number you want to find the percentage of.

   For example:

   [ 20% \text{ of } 80 = 0.20 \times 80 = 16 ]

Helpful Tips

• Start with 10%: A good trick is to first find 10% of the number, and then use that to find other percentages.

  For example, to find $15\%$ of $200$:

  1. First, calculate $10\%$: [ 10% \text{ of } 200 = 0.10 \times 200 = 20 ]
  2. Next, find $5\%$ (which is half of $10\%$): [ 5% \text{ of } 200 = 0.05 \times 200 = 10 ]
  3. Finally, add those two results together: [ 15% \text{ of } 200 = 20 + 10 = 30 ]

• Easy Percentages: For common percentages like $25\%$, $50\%$, or $75\%$, you can remember these tricks:

  • $50\%$ is half of the number.
  • $25\%$ is a quarter of the number.
  • $75\%$ is three quarters, which equals $50\%$ plus $25\%$.

Practice Makes Perfect!

The best way to get good at calculating percentages is to practice! Try solving these on your own:

• What is $40\%$ of $90$?
• How about $60\%$ of $150$?
• Or $5\%$ of $250$?

Once you have practiced these steps and tricks, calculating percentages will feel easy! With some practice, you’ll be solving these problems in no time!