Percentages in Everyday Life: Practical Applications

Introduction to Percentages

A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100. It's a fundamental concept in arithmetic with numerous real-world applications.

Calculating Percentages

To calculate a percentage of a number:

1. Convert the percentage to a decimal (divide by 100)
2. Multiply the decimal by the number

Example:

25% of 80 = 0.25 × 80 = 20

Percentage Changes

Calculating percentage changes is crucial in many fields:

1. Percentage increase = (Increase ÷ Original Amount) × 100
2. Percentage decrease = (Decrease ÷ Original Amount) × 100

Applications of Percentages

1. Finance

• Interest rates on loans and savings
• Discounts and sales tax
• Investment returns

2. Statistics

• Expressing probabilities
• Analyzing survey results
• Comparing data sets

3. Everyday Life

• Tips and gratuities
• Discounts and sales
• Understanding nutritional labels