# Basic Percentage Question

• April 1st 2013, 01:30 PM
cmf0106
Basic Percentage Question
If you have the fraction $\frac{7}{18}$ how do you figure out what percentage that is? I know the answer is about 39% but how do you do the work to figure it out? Thanks
• April 1st 2013, 01:49 PM
Plato
Re: Basic Percentage Question
Quote:

Originally Posted by cmf0106
If you have the fraction $\frac{7}{18}$ how do you figure out what percentage that is? I know the answer is about 39% but how do you do the work to figure it out? Thanks

Can you do this question: $700 \div 18~?$
• April 1st 2013, 01:51 PM
cmf0106
Re: Basic Percentage Question
Quote:

Originally Posted by Plato
Can you do this question: $700 \div 18~?$

Yes, my question would be why are you able to do 700/18 ?
• April 1st 2013, 01:55 PM
Plato
Re: Basic Percentage Question
Quote:

Originally Posted by cmf0106
Yes, my question would be why are you able to do 700/18 ?

Well if you can do, the do it and see what you get.
• April 1st 2013, 01:56 PM
cmf0106
Re: Basic Percentage Question
yes 700/18 = 39%, but my question is why can you use 700?
• April 1st 2013, 02:28 PM
Plato
Re: Basic Percentage Question
Quote:

Originally Posted by cmf0106
yes 700/18 = 39%, but my question is why can you use 700?

Percent means per one hundred.

If you want $\frac{31}{81}$ changed to $\%$ then what is $3100 \div 81=~?$
• April 1st 2013, 03:53 PM
Prove It
Re: Basic Percentage Question
Quote:

Originally Posted by cmf0106
If you have the fraction $\frac{7}{18}$ how do you figure out what percentage that is? I know the answer is about 39% but how do you do the work to figure it out? Thanks

You want to write this as a percentage, which is an equivalent way to write a proportion, meaning "per hundred". You need to remember that 100% is the same as 1. You also need to remember that multiplying by 1 keeps your fraction the same. So that means:

\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{7}{18} &= \frac{7}{18} \cdot 1 \\ &= \frac{7}{18} \cdot 100\% \\ &= \frac{700}{18}\% \end{align*}