How to Convert to Percentage

Use simple addition and subtraction to estimate a percentage quickly., Move the decimal one place to the left to find 10% instantly., Add and subtract your 10% estimation to get the percentage you want., Continue manipulating your 10% to estimate...

4 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Use simple addition and subtraction to estimate a percentage quickly.

    This is most helpful when figuring out tips, or any other time you might not have a calculator available.

    Percentages can be added and subtracted as long as they are percentages of the same thing (ie, 5% of a 15lb turkey is cannot be added to 20% of a 5lb turkey).

    This trick makes it easy to guess simple percentages.For example, say you want to leave a 20% tip with your lunch bill, which is $23.50.

    With a few simple tricks, you can get an estimate of a 20% tip with relative ease.
  2. Step 2: Move the decimal one place to the left to find 10% instantly.

    This is the easiest way to get rough percentages without a calculator.

    To do it, simply slide the decimal over one place to the left.

    So 10% of $23.50 is $2.35.

    Remember, there is always a decimal place at the end of a number, so 25 could also be thought of as
    25.00. 10% of 100 is
    10. 10% if
    35.59305 is
    3.559305 10% of
    6.2 is
    0.62, For example, you need to tip 20% on your bill of $23.50, not just 10%.

    However, since 20% is simply twice as much as 10%, you can easily find the right amount by doubling what you found for 10%.

    Therefore: 10% of $23.50 = $2.35 20% = 10% + 10% 20% = $2.35 + $2.35 A 20% tip on a $23.50 meal = $4.70 This works because, at their core, percentages are fractions. 10% = 10/100ths.

    So, if you added up 10 10% amounts, you would eventually get 100%.

    If you add two 10% amounts you get 20%, and so on up. , Once you understand these basics, you can use them to find even more percentages.

    For example, your waiter might have been rude and unhelpful, and you only want to tip them 15%.

    Break this down into smaller parts so that 15% = 10% + 5%.

    Since 5 is half of 10, you can find it easily by cutting your estimate in half.

    So 15% really equals $2.35 + $1.17, or a $3.52 tip.

    Other tricks include:
    To get 1% of something, move the decimal to the left 2 places.

    So 1% of
    23.50 would equal .235. 25% of a number is always the number divided by
    4. 50% of a number is always the number cut in half. 33% of a number is always the number divided by
    3.
  3. Step 3: Add and subtract your 10% estimation to get the percentage you want.

  4. Step 4: Continue manipulating your 10% to estimate other percentages.

Detailed Guide

This is most helpful when figuring out tips, or any other time you might not have a calculator available.

Percentages can be added and subtracted as long as they are percentages of the same thing (ie, 5% of a 15lb turkey is cannot be added to 20% of a 5lb turkey).

This trick makes it easy to guess simple percentages.For example, say you want to leave a 20% tip with your lunch bill, which is $23.50.

With a few simple tricks, you can get an estimate of a 20% tip with relative ease.

This is the easiest way to get rough percentages without a calculator.

To do it, simply slide the decimal over one place to the left.

So 10% of $23.50 is $2.35.

Remember, there is always a decimal place at the end of a number, so 25 could also be thought of as
25.00. 10% of 100 is
10. 10% if
35.59305 is
3.559305 10% of
6.2 is
0.62, For example, you need to tip 20% on your bill of $23.50, not just 10%.

However, since 20% is simply twice as much as 10%, you can easily find the right amount by doubling what you found for 10%.

Therefore: 10% of $23.50 = $2.35 20% = 10% + 10% 20% = $2.35 + $2.35 A 20% tip on a $23.50 meal = $4.70 This works because, at their core, percentages are fractions. 10% = 10/100ths.

So, if you added up 10 10% amounts, you would eventually get 100%.

If you add two 10% amounts you get 20%, and so on up. , Once you understand these basics, you can use them to find even more percentages.

For example, your waiter might have been rude and unhelpful, and you only want to tip them 15%.

Break this down into smaller parts so that 15% = 10% + 5%.

Since 5 is half of 10, you can find it easily by cutting your estimate in half.

So 15% really equals $2.35 + $1.17, or a $3.52 tip.

Other tricks include:
To get 1% of something, move the decimal to the left 2 places.

So 1% of
23.50 would equal .235. 25% of a number is always the number divided by
4. 50% of a number is always the number cut in half. 33% of a number is always the number divided by
3.

About the Author

J

Jack Wood

Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.

62 articles
View all articles

Rate This Guide

--
Loading...
5
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0

How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: