In mathematics, a percentage, percent, or per cent (from Latin per centum 'by a hundred') is a number or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100. It is often denoted using the percent sign (%), although the abbreviations pct., pct, and sometimes pc are also used. A percentage is a dimensionless number (pure number), primarily used for expressing proportions, but percent is nonetheless a unit of measurement in its orthography and usage.
Examples For example, 45% (read as "forty-five percent") is equal to the fraction 45/100, or 0.45. Percentages are often used to express a proportionate part of a total. (Similarly, one can also express a number as a fraction of 1,000, using the term "per mille" or the symbol "‰".)
Example 1 If 50% of the total number of students in the class are male, that means that 50 out of every 100 students are male. If there are 500 students, then 250 of them are male.
Example 2 An increase of $0.15 on a price of $2.50 is an increase by a fraction of 0.15/2.50 = 0.06. Expressed as a percentage, this is a 6% increase. While many percentage values are between 0 and 100, there is no mathematical restriction and percentages may take on other values. For example, it is common to refer to values such as 111% or −35%, especially for percent changes and comparisons.
History In Ancient Rome, long before the existence of the decimal system, computations were often made in fractions in the multiples of 1/100. For example, Augustus levied a tax of 1/100 on goods sold at auction known as centesima rerum venalium. Computation with these fractions was equivalent to computing percentages. As denominations of money grew in the Middle Ages, computations with a denominator of 100 became increasingly standard, such that from the late 15th century to the early 16th century, it became common for arithmetic texts to include such computations. Many of these texts applied these methods to profit and loss, interest rates, and the Rule of Three. By the 17th century, it was standard to quote interest rates in hundredths.
Percent sign
The term "percent" is derived from the Latin per centum, meaning "hundred" or "by the hundred". The sign for "percent" evolved by gradual contraction of the Italian term per cento, meaning "for a hundred". The "per" was often abbreviated as "p."—eventually disappeared entirely. The "cento" was contracted to two circles separated by a horizontal line, from which the modern "%" symbol is derived.
Calculations The percent value is computed by multiplying the numeric value of the ratio by 100. For example, to find 50 apples as a percentage of 1,250 apples, one first computes the ratio 50/1250 = 0.04, and then multiplies by 100 to obtain 4%. The percent value can also be found by multiplying first instead of later, so in this example, the 50 would be multiplied by 100 to give 5,000, and this result would be divided by 1,250 to give 4%. To calculate a percentage of a percentage, convert both percentages to fractions of 100, or to decimals, and multiply them. For example, 50% of 40% is:
50/100 × 40/100 = 0.50 × 0.40 = 0.20 = 20/100 = 20%. It is not correct to divide by 100 and use the percent sign at the same time; it would literally imply division by 10,000. For example, 25% = 25/100 = 0.25, not 25%/100, which actually is 25⁄100/100 = 0.0025. A term such as 100/100% would also be incorrect, since it would be read as 1 percent, even if the intent was to say 100%. Whenever communicating about a percentage, it is important to specify what it is relative to (i.e., what is the total that corresponds to 100%). The following problem illustrates this point.
In a certain college 60% of all students are female, and 10% of all students are computer science majors. If 5% of female students are computer science majors, what percentage of computer science majors are female? We are asked to compute the ratio of female computer science majors to all computer science majors. We know that 60% of all students are female, and among these 5% are computer science majors, so we conclude that 60/100 × 5/100 = 3/100 or 3% of all students are female computer science majors. Dividing this by the 10% of all students that are computer science majors, we arrive at the answer: 3%/10% = 30/100 or 30% of all computer science majors are female. This example is closely related to the concept of conditional probability. Because of the commutative property of multiplication, reversing expressions does not change the result; for example, 50% of 20 is 10, and 20% of 50 is 10.
Variants of the percentage calculation The calculation of percentages is carried out and taught in different ways depending on the prerequisites and requirements. In this way, the usual formulas can be obtained with proportions, which saves them from having to remember them. In so-called mental arithmetic, the intermediary question is usually asked what 100% or 1% is (corresponds to). Example: 42 kg is 7%. How much is (corresponds to) 100%?Given are W (percentage) and p % (percentage).We are looking for G (basic value).
Percentage increase and decrease
Due to inconsistent usage, it is not always clear from the context what a percentage is relative to. When speaking of a "10% rise" or a "10% fall" in a quantity, the usual interpretation is that this is relative to the initial value of that quantity. For example, if an item is initially priced at $200 and the price rises 10% (an increase of $20), the new price will be $220. Note that this final price is 110% of the initial price (100% + 10% = 110%). Some other examples of percent changes:
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