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When it comes to mathematics, percentages play a vital role. They are used in various fields, such as business, finance, science, and even sports. However, for some people, calculating percentages can be daunting. Fortunately, learning how to take out a percentage is not that complicated, and this article will guide you through the process.
What is a Percentage?
Before we dive into how to take out a percentage, let's understand what is a percentage and how it works. A percentage is a way of representing a part of a whole or a fraction of a quantity. It is denoted by the symbol %, and it means per hundred. For instance, 50% means 50 per hundred or 50/100, which can be simplified to 1/2 or 0.5.
When To Use Percentages?
Percentages are used in various situations, where we need to compare quantities or denote a portion. For example, when we want to calculate the percentage increase or decrease in the price or sales of a product, we use percentages. Likewise, percentages are useful when we want to compare data, such as the percentage of students passed or failed in a class or the percentage of people vaccinated against a disease.
Types of Percentage Problems
There are three types of percentage problems:
1. Percentage Increase
When we want to calculate the percentage increase, we need to find out how much a value has increased from its original value. For example, if the price of a product increased from $100 to $120, we need to calculate the percentage increase.
2. Percentage Decrease
When we want to calculate the percentage decrease, we need to find out how much a value has decreased from its original value. For example, if the price of a product decreased from $120 to $100, we need to calculate the percentage decrease.
3. Finding the Percentage of a Quantity
When we want to find the percentage of a quantity, we need to calculate how much a part is of the whole. For example, if we want to find out what percentage of the total marks a student obtained, we need to calculate it.
How To Take Out Percentage?
Now that we know the types of percentage problems let's understand how to take out a percentage in a step-by-step process.
Step 1: Determine the Values
The first step is to determine the values that we need to calculate the percentage. For instance, if you want to calculate the percentage increase in the price of a product, you need to determine the original and new price values. Similarly, if you want to calculate the percentage decrease, you need to determine the original and new price values as well.
Step 2: Calculate the Difference
The second step is to calculate the difference between the original and the new values. For instance, if the original price of a product was $100, and the new price is $120, then the difference is:
120 - 100 = 20
Step 3: Find the Percentage
The third step is to find the percentage. To do that, we need to use the following formula:
Percentage = (Difference / Original Value) × 100
For example, in the case of the price increase:
Percentage = (20 / 100) × 100 = 20%
Therefore, the percentage increase in the price of the product is 20%.
Similarly, if we want to calculate the percentage decrease in the price of a product, we need to use the same formula. Let's say the original price was $120, and the new price is $100, then the difference is:
120 - 100 = 20
Using the formula, we can calculate the percentage decrease:
Percentage = (20 / 120) × 100 = 16.67%
Therefore, the percentage decrease in the price of the product is 16.67%.
Lastly, if we want to find the percentage of a quantity, we need to use a different formula. Let's say a student obtained 75 marks out of 100 in an exam, and we want to calculate the percentage he obtained:
Percentage = (Obtained Marks / Total Marks) × 100
Percentage = (75 / 100) × 100 = 75%
Therefore, the student obtained 75% marks in the exam.
Conclusion
Taking out percentages might seem challenging, but it is simple. All you need to remember is to determine the values and use the formula to calculate the percentage. Knowing how to take out percentages can be useful in various fields, from calculating discounts, tax, and interest rates to understanding statistics and analyzing data. So, next time you encounter a percentage problem, you know how to take it out.