Numbers are one of the major things we use in our everyday life. We add, multiply, subtract, divide and, or calculate the percentage of numbers almost daily. This alone makes learning how to calculate the percentage of numbers worth it.
To calculate percentages, you must understand how the whole percentage works before you even start thinking of how to calculate.
Maybe you are only looking forward to calculating the percentage of a given number without learning the formula, you can easily use our Ultimate Percentage Calculator for free. If you are looking forward to knowing the actual formula, then kindly read below.
If you are like me who hardly understand complicated Mathematical formulas, then this is your best shot. I think this method is very simple and I have been using it since high school. But before we delve into the formula, let us take a look at what percentage is.
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Table of Contents
What is Percentage?
The percentage is a portion of a whole number. Some people explain that it is the hundredth of a number and I perfectly agree with that. That is exactly what it is.
I always explain it as a fraction of a whole number. I think that is the easiest way to understand it, especially for someone like me who hates everything about numbers. “Much love for the numbers with the Dollar Sign ($) in front tho..???”
Now that we have a fair idea of what percentage means, let us look at how to calculate.
How To Calculate Percentage
Since we know a percentage is a fraction of a whole number, it means we need two numbers before we can calculate the percentage. We need the whole number and its fraction.
Example:
Assuming you have a bookshop stocked with 1,345 books and you sold 401. What percentage of the books have you sold out and what is left?
In this simple scenario, we have the whole number which is 1,345 and the fraction of it which is 401. Let us use these known numbers to calculate percentages.
I always multiply the fraction by 100%. For the scenario above, the fraction will be 401/1,345 (401 divided by 1,345). Therefore to calculate the percentage, simply divide 401 by 1,345 and multiply by 100. That is to say (401 ÷ 1,345) X 100 = 29.81%
Another way to calculate the percentage
What if You have the whole number and the percentage but don’t know the fraction of the whole number that is taken?
Example: Using the scenario above, let’s say we know the total stock is 1,345 and we sold 29.81% of the total stock, how do we find how many books make the 29.81%?
It is very simple, you only have to reverse the formula and you can get the answer. In this case, the percentage becomes the fraction that we must divide. So divide 29.81 by 100 and multiply the answer by 1,345.
29.81 ÷ 100 X 1,345 = 400.94. The answer has a decimal value which is because the total stock is not an even number so to be very accurate, simply round the decimal up since the .9 is more than 5.
Check the graphical representation below
This is a very simple formula anyone can use to calculate the percentage of numbers. You can use any number calculator for this kind of calculation. If you only want to calculate without going through the hustle of using the formula, then rely on our Ultimate Percentage Calculator.
Summary
Learning how to calculate percentages is important because we use numbers every day. Whether you add, subtract, multiply, divide, or find percentages, understanding this basic math is useful.
If you just want to find percentages quickly, you can use our free Ultimate Percentage Calculator. But if you want to know the actual formula, we explained it step by step.
We also talked about what a percentage is: it’s a fraction of a whole number. Knowing this helps you understand how to calculate percentages. We gave simple examples to show how it works.
Remember, you need two numbers to find a percentage: the whole number and its part. We showed you how to do it both ways—whether you have the part and need the percentage, or you have the percentage and need the part.
Using percentages is easy with practice, and our guide makes it simple to learn. Whether you use a calculator or do it by hand, you now have the tools to calculate percentages easily.
