Key points
- Percentages represent an amount out of 100. This provides a consistent base to compare against when looking at fractional parts. For example, 50%, means 50 out of 100 or \( \frac{50}{100} \). 50% is the same as one half.
- Percentages are often used instead of fractions and decimals. This is because parts of 100 can be easier to understand.
What is a percentage?
- A percentage is a fraction that is parts out of 100
- A whole is 100%. The percentages that are part of a whole, The answer to an addition calculation to 100%
- A percentage is written as a number with the % symbol. The number can be an Integers are numbers with no fraction or decimal part. They can be positive, negative or zero. 42, 8, and 10000 are examples of integers., A number that is written using a whole number and a fraction, eg 3 4⁄5, fraction or a decimal.
- A percentage can be represented by shading in a 100 square grid.
Examples
Image caption, What percentage of this grid is orange?
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How to find a missing percentage
Add the given percentages.
Subtract the result from 100%
The difference between 100% and the total given percentage will be the missing percentage.
Remember that the whole is always 100%
Examples
Image caption, Add the given percentages. 28% + 40% = 68%. Subtract the result (68%) from 100%. The difference between 100% and the total given percentage (68%) is the missing percentage. 100% – 68% = 32%
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Question
12% of the bar is blue. 36% of the bar is green. What % of the bar is orange?
The whole bar is 100%
12 + 36 = 48
100 – 48 = 52
52% of the bar is orange.
A percentage as an operator
A percentage becomes an A mathematical action such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. when it represents a mathematical action.
Finding a percentage of something is a mathematical action. The percentage is an operator. For example, 15% of 100 means work out 15 hundredths of 100
Examples
Image caption, 15% of 100 is an instruction to work out 15 hundredths of 100
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Question
What percentages are represented in these 100-square grids?
Count the shaded squares.
A 4 rows of 10 squares is 40%
B 5 rows of 5 squares is 25%. 5 rows of 10 squares is 50%. 25% + 50% = 75%
C 4 rows of 4 squares is 16%
Practise percentages
Try this quiz to practise percentages. You may need a pen and paper to help you answer the questions in this quiz.
Quiz
Real-world maths
A statistician is someone who works with data. They often use percentages in reports. To ensure accuracy, the total percentage is always 100%
Newspapers and magazines frequently present information in pie charts using percentages, as well as using them in headlines and reports to make a news story stand out. As a reader it is important to know what a percentage is in order to understand the information.
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