Figure Out Percentages
If you are only going to learn do one type of calculation, learn to figure percentages. From leaving tips at restaurants to figuring sale prices, you will encounter percentages every day. Even if you are terrified of math, you can become proficient in percentage calculations if you concentrate on learning the key steps to producing them.
Instructions
1. Figure the percentage of a particular number. Divide the number by 100 and then multiply by the percentage you want to determine. For instance, if your restaurant bill is $85 and you would like to leave an 18 percent tip, your tip will be $85 / 100 = 85 cents. Multiply 85 cents by 18 (1 percent X 18!) to get your answer: $15.30.
2. To figure what percentage one number is of another: Multiply the number by 100, then divide by the number you want to compare it with. For example, if your rent is $1,400 and your take home pay is $3,500 per month, you are spending 40 percent of your pay for rent: $1,400 X 100 / $3,500 = 40.
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 that is discounted by 25 percent will cost $100.50.
The discount is 134 / 100 X 25 = 33.50 and the sale price is
$134 - $33.50 = 100.50.
