In this article, we will explore the concept of calculating percentage points and how they relate to whole numbers and fractions. We will also delve into the formula used to find the percentage of one number relative to another. Furthermore, we will demonstrate how to use this formula in practical examples, including the calculation of what 10% of 12 is.
What is a Percentage Point?
A percentage point is a unit of measure used to indicate a change in a percentage. It is the difference between two percentage values and is symbolized by the symbol % or pp. For example, if a certain amount is 10% greater than another, the percentage difference between them can be expressed as 10 percentage points.
How to Calculate the Percentage of a Number
To calculate the percentage of a number, you can use the following formula:
percentage = (part/whole) * 100
where part is the part you want to find the percentage of, whole is the total number you are working with, and percentage is the resulting percentage.
Example: What is 10% of 12?
Let's apply the formula to our example. Here, part = 10 and whole = 12. Plugging these values into the formula, we get:
percentage = (10/12) * 100
Simplifying this expression, we get:
percentage = (5/6) * 100
Now, we can multiply 5/6 by 100 to find the percentage:
percentage = 83.3333...
Converting this back to a percentage, we get 83.3333%, rounded to three decimal places. This means that 83.3333% of 12 is 10.
Finding the Percentage of a Part
In some cases, you may want to find out what percentage of a number is a specific value. For example, if 10% of 12 is 9, how do we calculate that? Using the same formula, we can reverse the process:
10% of 12 = (10/12)
To solve for part, we multiply both sides by the whole number (12):
part = (10/12) * 12
This simplifies to:
part = 10
Therefore, 10% of 12 is 10.
