You've heard the commercial about "4 out of 5 dentists
recommending sugarless gum..." so, what percentage is this?
We need to find what four fifths of one hundred is.
Using this formula:
(amount
÷ total) × 100 = percentage
we get:
4
÷ 5 × 100 = .8 × 100 = 80%
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Percentage
problems fall into one of three categories and you are asked to calculate one
of 3 things (or variables) and these problems are typically worded in one of
3 ways: A ) 4 is what percent of 5 ?
B ) 80 percent of 5 equals what number ?
C ) 4 is 80 percent of what number ?
In order to use this calculator, first click the category (A, B or C), then
enter the numbers in the first and third boxes, then click CALCULATE.
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Percentages get a little trickier when there are many variables involved. Example In an election
2,268 people voted for Smith, 8,820 people voted for Jones and 1,512 people
voted for Robinson. What percentage of the votes did each candidate receive? First, we have to get a total of ALL the votes.
2,268
+ 8,820 + 1,512 = 12,600
Then
we can calculate percentages for each candidate by:
(2,268
÷ 12,600) × 100 = 18%
(8,820
÷ 12,600) × 100 = 70%
(1,512
÷ 12,600) × 100 = 12%
These
type of percentage calculations are made easier by using this calculator which
allows you to input up to 10 numbers. When you click CALCULATE, it will display
the percentages of each amount. As an added bonus, the total and average will
be displayed. For practice, you could use the election example above.