The term "percentage" is derived from the Latin phrase "per centum," which translates to "by the hundred." A percentage represents a fraction where the denominator is always 100. In other words, it is a way to express the ratio between a part and a whole, with the whole consistently being considered as 100. This concept helps to quantify proportions and comparisons in a standardized manner, making it easier to understand and communicate various measurements and data points in terms of their relationship to a complete entity valued at 100.
A percentage represents a fraction or a ratio where the entire quantity is consistently equivalent to 100. To illustrate, consider Sam's arithmetic test score: if he attained 30 percent, this signifies he earned 30 points out of a possible 100. Expressed as a fraction, it is written as 30/100, and as a ratio, it appears as 30:100.
A percentage is a portion or fraction that represents a certain part out of one hundred. Specifically, it is expressed as a fraction where 100 serves as the denominator. The symbol used to denote a percentage is "percent."
Calculating the percentage of a whole, expressed as a fraction of 100, is known as percentage calculation. There exist two primary methods for computing percentages:
Unitary Technique: This method involves directly expressing the part as a fraction of the whole, then multiplying by 100 to find the percentage.
Adjusting the Denominator to 100: In this approach, the fraction representing the part over the whole is adjusted so that the denominator becomes 100. This adjusted fraction then represents the percentage of the whole.
It is important to note that the second method is only applicable when the denominator of the fraction can be adjusted to 100. When this adjustment is not feasible due to the denominator not being a factor of 100, the unitary technique is employed to calculate the percentage in such cases. Thus, the unitary technique remains essential for computing percentages when fractions cannot be directly adjusted to express out of 100.
Many students often inquire about how to compute their test scores as percentages. Here is a methodical approach, accompanied by an illustrative example, to address this query. Calculating the percentage of marks involves two straightforward stages:
Firstly, multiply the marks obtained in the test by the maximum possible score of the test. This step determines the fraction of the total score achieved.
Secondly, take the result from the first step and multiply it by 100. This conversion transforms the fraction into a percentage.
Thus, to compute the percentage of marks scored in an exam, divide the total marks obtained by the maximum score achievable in the exam, and then multiply the quotient by 100. This method ensures a clear and accurate determination of test performance in percentage terms.
Example:
Let's calculate the percentage of marks obtained:
Steps to calculate:
Therefore, the student scored 85% on the test.
To calculate a percentage, divide the number by the total and multiply by 100. For example, if you scored 60 out of 100, the percentage is (60/100) x 100 = 60%
To calculate the percentage for 6 subjects:
To calculate your percentage score:
To convert 70 marks to a 100 mark scale:
To calculate your percentage of marks: