To calculate 20% of 100, here’s a detailed breakdown of the steps:
1. Understand the Concept of Percentage
A percentage represents a fraction out of 100. So, 20% means 20 out of 100 or 20 per hundred. Mathematically, 20% can be written as a fraction:
20% = 20÷100
2. Convert the Percentage to a Decimal
To perform calculations with percentages, we usually convert them into decimal form. To convert a percentage to a decimal, divide the percentage by 100 (because “percent” means “per hundred”).
For 20%
20% = 20÷100 = 0.20
3. Multiply by the Given Number (100 in this case)
Now, to find 20% of 100, we multiply the decimal value (0.20) by the number (100)
0.20 × 100 = 20
When you multiply 0.20 by 100, you get 20.
4. Why Does This Work?
You’re essentially calculating how much 20 out of every 100 units of 100 is. Since 20% is the same as 20 per 100, when you take 100 (which represents “100%”) and find 20% of it, you get 20.
In a real-world sense, if you had 100 items and took 20% of them, you’d end up with 20 items.
Verification through Proportion:
You can also verify this using a proportion:
20 ÷ 100 = x ÷ 100
x = 20 × 100 ÷ 100 = 20
Example:
If you had a $100 bill and you wanted to calculate 20% of it (perhaps as a tip), you’d calculate:
Tip = 0.20 × 100 = 20
Summary
20% of 100 = 20, which is the result of multiplying 100 by the decimal equivalent of 20% (0.20).