How do I calculate percentage of a number?
To calculate a percentage of a number, divide the percentage by 100 and multiply by the number. For example, to find 20% of 50: (20 ÷ 100) × 50 = 10.
Free percentage calculator to find percentage of any number, calculate percentage differences, discounts, taxes, grades, and tips. Use proven percent formulas to solve percentages and find unknowns in percent equations. Get instant results with step-by-step solutions and real-world examples. Perfect for students, shoppers, and business owners. Mobile-friendly, no registration required.
Percentage Calculator
What is X% of Y?
What is% of
X is what % of Y?
is what % of
X is Y% of what?
is% of what
Percentage Difference
compared to
Percentage Increase/Decrease
Practical Examples
Shopping Discount
Example: A shirt costs $50 and is on sale for 20% off. What is the discount amount?
Answer: 20% of $50 = $10 discount. Final price: $40
Test Score
Example: You got 42 out of 50 questions correct. What's your percentage?
Answer: 42 is what % of 50 = 84%
Sales Growth
Example: Sales increased from $10,000 to $12,000. What's the percentage increase?
Answer: Percentage difference = 20% increase
Tax Calculation
Example: If tax is 8% and you paid $24 in tax, what was the original price?
Answer: $24 is 8% of $300
Tip Amount
Example: Your restaurant bill is $80 and you want to leave a 15% tip.
Answer: 15% of $80 = $12 tip
Salary Raise
Example: Your salary is $50,000 and you get a 5% raise.
Answer: $50,000 increased by 5% = $52,500
Complete Guide to Percentage Calculations
What is a Percentage?
A percentage is a way to express a number as a fraction of 100. The word "percent" comes from the Latin "per centum," meaning "by the hundred." The percent symbol (%) represents division by 100. For example, 25% means 25 out of 100, which is equivalent to the fraction 25/100 or the decimal 0.25.
Percentages are used everywhere in daily life: calculating discounts while shopping, determining tax amounts, understanding interest rates on loans and savings, analyzing test scores and grades, measuring business growth, tracking statistical data, and comparing proportions. Understanding how to calculate percentages is an essential mathematical skill that helps you make informed decisions in personal finance, business, and academics.
How to Calculate Percentage of a Number
To find what percentage of a number equals, use this formula: (Percentage ÷ 100) × Number = Result
Example 1: What is 15% of 200?
Solution: (15 ÷ 100) × 200 = 0.15 × 200 = 30
💡 Real-world application: If a $200 item is 15% off, you save $30.
Example 2: What is 8% of 500?
Solution: (8 ÷ 100) × 500 = 0.08 × 500 =40
💡 Real-world application: Sales tax of 8% on a $500 purchase is $40.
Finding What Percent One Number is of Another
To calculate what percentage one number represents of another, use: (Part ÷ Whole) × 100 = Percentage
Example 1: 45 is what percent of 150?
Solution: (45 ÷ 150) × 100 = 0.3 × 100 = 30%
💡 Real-world application: If you answered 45 out of 150 questions correctly, your score is 30%.
Example 2: 75 is what percent of 250?
Solution: (75 ÷ 250) × 100 = 0.3 × 100 = 30%
💡 Real-world application: If you spent $75 out of a $250 budget, you used 30% of your budget.
Real-World Applications of Percentage Calculations
Shopping and Discounts
When shopping, percentages help you calculate savings. If a $150 jacket is 30% off, you can quickly calculate the discount ($45) and final price ($105). Understanding percentage discounts helps you compare deals across different stores and determine the best value. During sales events like Black Friday, knowing how to calculate percentages lets you evaluate whether a "50% off" deal is truly better than a "buy one get one free" offer.
Finance and Banking
Percentage calculations are fundamental in personal finance. Credit card companies charge interest as an Annual Percentage Rate (APR). Savings accounts offer returns as Annual Percentage Yield (APY). When comparing loan offers, understanding how percentage rates affect your monthly payments and total interest paid over the loan term is crucial. For example, a 5% interest rate on a $200,000 mortgage over 30 years results in significantly different payments than a 4% rate.
Common Percentage Formulas
- Percentage: (Part ÷ Whole) × 100
- Part: (Percentage ÷ 100) × Whole
- Whole: Part ÷ (Percentage ÷ 100)
- Percentage Increase: ((New - Old) ÷ Old) × 100
- Percentage Decrease: ((Old - New) ÷ Old) × 100
Percentage Conversion Table
| Percentage | Decimal | Fraction |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | 0.01 | 1/100 |
| 5% | 0.05 | 1/20 |
| 10% | 0.10 | 1/10 |
| 20% | 0.20 | 1/5 |
| 25% | 0.25 | 1/4 |
| 33.33% | 0.3333 | 1/3 |
| 50% | 0.50 | 1/2 |
| 66.67% | 0.6667 | 2/3 |
| 75% | 0.75 | 3/4 |
| 100% | 1.00 | 1/1 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between percentage increase and percentage difference?
Percentage increase shows how much a value has grown from an original amount (e.g., price increased from $100 to $120 is a 20% increase). Percentage difference compares two values symmetrically without considering which came first.
How do I calculate what percentage one number is of another?
Divide the first number by the second number and multiply by 100. For example, to find what percentage 25 is of 200: (25 ÷ 200) × 100 = 12.5%.
How do I calculate the original price before a percentage discount?
Divide the discounted amount by the discount percentage, then multiply by 100. For example, if you saved $20 with a 25% discount, the original price was: (20 ÷ 25) × 100 = $80.
Can I use this calculator for tax calculations?
Yes! Use "What is X% of Y" to calculate tax amounts, or "X is Y% of what" to find the pre-tax price.
How accurate is this percentage calculator?
Our calculator provides results accurate to 2 decimal places, which is suitable for most practical applications including financial calculations, academic grading, and business analytics.
Is this percentage calculator free to use?
Yes, our percentage calculator is 100% free with no registration required. You can use it unlimited times on any device - desktop, tablet, or mobile.
Can I use this calculator on my mobile phone?
Absolutely! Our percentage calculator is fully optimized for mobile devices with a responsive design that adapts to your screen size for easy use on smartphones and tablets.