How to Figure Out Percentages

By Lija Rasa, eHow Member

    

^

START BLOGGER

Learn to figure out percentages.

Wikimedia Commons

User-Submitted Article

If you are only going to learn how to do one type of calculation, then learn to figure out percentages.

From leaving tips at restaurants to figuring sale prices, you will encounter percentages every day. Even if you are terrified of math, continue on reading and you will be proficient in percentage calculations in no time at all.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 1
   ***To figure out a percentage of a number***
   
   Divide the number by a 100 and then multiply by percentage you are interested in finding out. For instance, if your restaurant bill is $85 and you would like to leave an 18% tip, your tip will be $15.30
   (85 / 100 * 18).
   
2. 2
   ***To figure out what percentage number x is of number y***
   
   Multiply x by a 100 and then divide by y. For example, if your rent is $1400 and your take home pay is $3500 per month, you are spending 40% of your pay for rent: 1400 * 100 / 3500.
   
3. 3
   ***To figure out a sale price of a discounted item***
   
   Use step one to figure out the dollar amount of the discount, and then subtract it from the original price. For instance, an item with an original price of $134 being discounted by 25% will cost $100.50.
   The discount is 134 / 100 * 25 = 33.50 and the sale price is
   134 - 33.5 = 100.50.

Read more: How to Figure Out Percentages | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5015963_figure-out-percentages.html#ixzz18UHFw6uK