Percentages • Topic 1 of 3

Understanding Percent as "Out of 100"

What is Percent?

Percent means "per hundred" (cent = 100 in Latin). The symbol % means "out of 100."

50% = 50 out of 100 = 50/100 = ½
25% = 25 out of 100 = 25/100 = ¼
100% = all of it = 1 whole

Real-Life Examples:

"I got 90% on my test" = answered 90 out of 100 correctly
"This shirt is 20% off" = save 20 for every100
"75% of students like pizza" = 75 out of 100 students

PERCENT AS A 100-GRID (10×10):

    0%                              100%
    ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
    │                                 │
    │    25% shaded (25 squares)      │
    │    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░      │
    │    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░      │
    │                                 │
    │    50% shaded (50 squares)      │
    │    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
    │    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
    │                                 │
    │    75% shaded (75 squares)      │
    │    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
    │    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
    │    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
    └─────────────────────────────────┘

    100% = all 100 squares shaded


PERCENT PIE CHARTS:

    25% (¼)        50% (½)        75% (¾)
      ┌─┐            ┌─┐            ┌─┐
     ╱   ╲         ╱   ╲         ╱   ╲
    │  ░  │       │░░░░░│       │░░░░░│
    │ ░░  │       │░░░░░│       │░░░░░│
     ╲   ╱         ╲   ╱         ╲   ╱
      └─┘            └─┘            └─┘

Solved Examples

Worked Example

What percent is shaded if 45 out of 100 squares are shaded?

Solution

Percent = (part/whole) × 100
Part = 45, Whole = 100
45/100 × 100 = 45%
Answer: 45%

Worked Example

Write 60% as a fraction in simplest form

Solution

60% = 60/100
Simplify: divide both by 20 → (3)/(5)
Answer: (3)/(5)

Worked Example

What is 30% of 50?

Solution

Method 1: 30% = 30/100 = 0.3, 0.3 × 50 = 15
Method 2: 30% of 50 = (30/100) × 50 = 1500/100 = 15
Answer: 15

Key Points

% means "out of 100"
To convert % to fraction: put over 100, simplify
To convert % to decimal: divide by 100
To find % of a number: multiply by the decimal or fraction

Quick Check — 4 MCQs

Tap an option to check your answer0 / 4

Q1."Percent" means:

Explanation: Per hundred.

Q2.$50\%$ means:

Explanation: $50/100$.

Q3.$25\%$ as a fraction in simplest form is:

Explanation: $\tfrac{25}{100}=\tfrac14$.

Q4.$100\%$ means:

Explanation: The whole.

Practice more MCQs → 📝 Assignment · 35 marks