Percent

[JenRay]

How do you calculate percentage less than 1?

 

[mmm4444bot]

Percentages are calculated the same, regardless of their size.

Please post a specific exercise, if you would like more help.

 

[JenRay]

How do you calculate 1/4%, 1/2%, 1/3% , 0.006% or any such percent less than 1 of a quantity/number? I understand how to calculate regular percentages from 1-100 or greater, but I have dificulty grasping the calculation of percentages less than 1. Specifically, I dont understand how to convert say 1/4% or 0.0007% inorder to apply it in my calculation to get an answer.

 

[BigGlenntheHeavy]

$\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}\% \ = \ 0.25\% \ = \ .0025.$

$\displaystyle Note: \ When \ you \ go \ to \ the \ bank \ and \ they \ say \ that \ they \ are \ giving \ 0.20\% \ on$

$\displaystyle their \ savings \ accounts, \ it \ sounds \ like \ a \ good \ deal.$

$\displaystyle But \ 0.20\% \ = \ .002 \ = \ \frac{2}{1000}, \ hence \ if \ you \ put \ \$10,000 \ in \ a \ savings \ account$

$\displaystyle for \ one \ year, \ you \ would \ earn \ \$20. \ Better \ to \ put \ the \ \$10,000 \ in \ your \ mattress \ (or \ buy \ gold$

$\displaystyle ), \ at \ least \ that \ way \ the \ government \ doesn't \ know \ your \ business.$

 

[mmm4444bot]

Specifically, I dont understand how to convert say 1/4% or 0.0007%

We convert Rational numbers to their decimal equivalents using long division (or a calculator).

1/4 means one divided by four; that gives 0.25

1/2 means one divided by two; that gives 0.5

1/3 means one divided by three; that gives 0.3333…

A percent sign (%) means "per hundred"; in other words, a percent sign tells us to divide by 100.

:idea: Dividing a decimal number by 100 is as easy as shifting the decimal point two places to the left.

1/4% = 0.0025

1/2% = 0.005

1/3% = 0.003333…

0.0007% = 0.000007

et cetera

Therefore, 1/4% of 1100 is 2.75:

(0.0025)(1100) = 2.75

And 1/3% of 1100 is about 3.67 (rounded)

(0.003333)(1100) = 3.666300

And 0.0007% of 1100 is about 0.01 (rounded)

(0.000007)(1100) = 0.007700

Please show your work, if you would like more help with percents.

BTW: We don't call 1/4% a "percentage". It's a percent.

The "percentage" is the amount that you get after multiplying some quantity by some percent.

I mean, the numbers 2.75, 3.67, and 0.01 in red above are "percentages" of 1100; the numbers 0.0025, 0.005, and 0.00007 are "percents".

Okay ?

 

[JenRay]

Thanks for clarifying. My difficulty was distinguishing the difference between 1/4% and 25%, because in my mind 1/4 = 25% just as 1/2 = 50%. If I understand your explanation correctly then:
25% = 25/100 = 0.25
1/4% = 1/4 = 0.25/100 = 0.0025
or
50% = 50/100 = o.50
1/2% = 1/2 = 0.50/100 = 0.0050
So the difference lies in dividing the decimal equivalent by 100 in percents less than 1.

It makes everything much clearer now. Thanks much.

 

[mmm4444bot]

So the difference lies in dividing the decimal equivalent by 100 in percents less than 1.

I do not agree with this statement.

It seems to me that the difference for you is realizing that the numbers 1/4 and 1/4% are not the same number; the former number is 0.25, and the latter number is 0.0025.

I mean, we divide a decimal equivalent by 100 everytime it's followed by a percent sign. We don't do this just for numbers less than one; we do it for all numbers followed by a percent sign.

EGs:

1/8% = 0.125/100 = 0.00125

10.025% = 10.025/100 = 0.10025

500% = 500/100 = 5

Cheers ~ Mark