People tend to shop a lot when festivals are around the corner. But has anybody ever given a thought to why that is? For starters, people get to enjoy a variety of offers and sales during the festival season. At times stores put up sale tags reading 50% off or flat 90% off on certain items. But how are these sale prices calculated? 

Then another scenario is when going out to a fancy restaurant for dinner with friends and family; people are expected to pay a certain percentage of the bill as a tip to the waiter or waitress who attended them that night. Again, the question is, how is the amount of the information calculated? 

The answer is straightforward: by calculating the percentage, one can quickly figure out the sale prices and the tip amount, among other similar things. However, to be able to estimate the cost, fees, and much more, individuals should have a clear understanding of basic maths concepts, including maths concepts of percentages, maths basic concepts in geometry, and other basic mathematical concepts that lay the foundation for refining one’s abilities and skills in mathematical reasoning. Ergo, here is everything a student must know on how to find percentages with a guide for students on Cuemath.

What are Percentages?

Percentage is maths basic concept used to express a part of a whole as a ratio out of 100. Percentage is calculated by dividing the part of interest by the entire and multiplying by 100, denoted by %. Let’s look at some examples to see how the percentage is calculated:

If a class has 50 students, 18 scored above 90 marks in a test on basic maths concepts. Now, to calculate the percentage of students who scored above 90 effects, you will divide the number of students who scored above 90 marks (18) by the total number of students in the class (50), and then multiply by 100.

Percentage = (Number of students scored above 90 marks / Total number of students in the class) x 100
Given, Total number of students in the classroom = 50
Number of students who scored above 90 marks = 18

Step 1: Divide the number of students who scored above 90 marks by the total number of students in the class.
Above 90 / Total = 18 / 50

Step 2: Simplify the fraction if possible.
18 / 50 = 9 / 25

Step 3: Multiply the fraction by 100 to convert it into a percentage.
9 / 25 * 100 = 36

Thus, the percentage of students who scored above 90 marks in the maths test on maths basic concepts is 36%.

Different Methods of Finding Percentages

For clearing basic maths concepts, students should start by practising calculating percentages using different methods of finding rates.

Proportion Method: In this method, a proportion is set up between the part and the whole and then solved to find the percentage. For instance, if you want to find out what percentage of 50 is 10, you can set up the proportion as- 10 / 50 = x / 100

Solving for 'x':
Cross-multiplying, we get: 10 * 100 = 50 * x
1000 = 50x
Dividing both sides by 50, we get: x = 20
So, 10 is 20% of 50.

1. Decimal Method: This method calculates the percentage by converting the rate to a decimal and multiplying it by the whole. For example, if you want to find 20% of 500, you can convert 20% to a decimal by dividing it by 100.

Converting 20% to a decimal: 20 / 100 = 0.20

Then, multiplying by 500, we get: 0.20 * 500 = 100

So, 20% of 500 is 100.

2. Formula Method: This method involves using a specific formula to calculate percentages. For example, to find the percentage increase or decrease between two values, you can use the formula: This method involves using a specific formula to calculate percentages. For example, to find the percentage increase or decrease between two items, you can use the formula:

Percentage change = (New item value- old item value) / Old item value * 100

So, if the original price of a toy was Rs.1000 and the new price is Rs.2500, you can put these values into the formula to find the percentage increase:

Putting in the values, we get: (2500 - 1000) / 1000 * 100 = 150

So, the percentage increase is 150%.

3. Fraction Method: The percentage is expressed as a fraction with a denominator of 100. For example, if you want to find 70% of a 5000, you can write it as 70/100 and simplify it. Then, you can multiply the fraction by the whole to get the result.

70% can be written as 70/100.

The fraction 70/100 can be simplified by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their highest common factor (HCF), which is 10.

70 ÷ 10 = 7

100 ÷ 10 = 10

So, the simplified fraction is 7/10.

Multiply 7/10 by 5000.

7/10 * 5000 = 3500

So, 70% of 5000 is 3500 using the Fraction Method.

Conclusion

Cuemath provides a comprehensive guide for students to understand basic maths concepts, including maths concepts of percentages, maths basic concepts in geometry, and other basic mathematical concepts that lay the foundation for refining one’s abilities and skills in mathematical reasoning.

Understanding how to find percentages is crucial in various real-life situations, such as calculating sale prices during festival season or determining restaurant tip amounts. With Cuemath's guidance, students can gain confidence in solving percentage problems and apply this knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to clear maths basic concepts of percentage?

Practise all the methods of calculating percentage as frequently as possible to clear percentage basics.

What are the methods of calculating percentage?

There are four methods of calculating percentage- proportion methods, decimal method, formula method, and fraction method.

What is the formula to calculate percentage?

Percentage is calculated by dividing the part of interest by the whole and then multiplying by 100, which is denoted by %.

How to register for math classes with Cuemath?

Resistor with Cuemath by visiting the official website and find the best maths tutor for yourself by answering a few questions.