Percent
Percent means per hundred, and the percent symbol (%) represents a fraction with denominator 100. In Grade 6 Saxon Math Course 1 (Chapter 4: Number, Operations, and Measurement), students convert percent to a fraction by placing the percent number over 100 and simplifying, and to a decimal by moving the decimal point two places left. For 35%: as a fraction = 35/100 = 7/20; as a decimal = 0.35. They also convert in reverse: a decimal to percent by moving two places right, a fraction to percent by finding an equivalent fraction with denominator 100 or by dividing and multiplying by 100.
Key Concepts
Property A percent is actually a fraction with a denominator of 100. The word percent and its symbol, %, mean "per hundred.".
Examples $50\% = \frac{50}{100} = \frac{1}{2}$ $25\% = \frac{25}{100} = \frac{1}{4}$ $10\% = \frac{10}{100} = \frac{1}{10}$.
Explanation Think of 'percent' as a secret code for 'out of 100.' So, 50% is just a fun way of saying you have 50 out of 100 parts of a whole, like slices of a giant pizza! This makes it a fraction hiding in plain sight. Converting percents helps us easily see and compare parts of any whole.
Common Questions
What does percent mean?
Percent means per hundred. The symbol % represents a fraction with 100 as the denominator. For example, 20% = 20/100 = 1/5.
Convert 45% to a fraction in simplest form.
45/100; GCF of 45 and 100 is 5. 45/5 = 9 and 100/5 = 20. Simplest form: 9/20.
Convert 45% to a decimal.
Move the decimal point two places to the left: 45% = 0.45.
Convert 0.72 to a percent.
Move the decimal point two places to the right and add %: 0.72 = 72%.
What fraction is 25%?
25% = 25/100 = 1/4.