what percentage of 500 is 100

2 min read 11-02-2025

Calculating percentages is a fundamental skill with applications in various aspects of life, from figuring out discounts at the store to understanding financial reports. This article will guide you through calculating "What percentage of 500 is 100?" and provide you with the steps to solve similar problems.

Understanding Percentages

Before diving into the calculation, let's briefly review the concept of percentages. A percentage represents a fraction of 100. For example, 50% means 50 out of 100, or 50/100, which simplifies to 1/2.

Calculating the Percentage: What Percentage of 500 is 100?

To find out what percentage 100 represents of 500, we can use a simple formula:

(Part / Whole) x 100% = Percentage

In this case:

Part: 100
Whole: 500

Let's plug the numbers into the formula:

(100 / 500) x 100% = 20%

Therefore, 100 is 20% of 500.

Step-by-Step Calculation

Here's a breakdown of the calculation in a step-by-step manner:

Divide the part by the whole: 100 / 500 = 0.2
Multiply the result by 100: 0.2 x 100 = 20
Add the percentage symbol: 20%

This confirms that 100 is 20% of 500.

Practical Applications

Understanding percentage calculations is vital in many real-world scenarios. Here are a few examples:

Discounts: If a $500 item is discounted by $100, the discount is 20%.
Sales Targets: If a sales target is $500 and $100 has been achieved, 20% of the target has been met.
Test Scores: If a test is out of 500 points and a student scores 100, their percentage score is 20%.

Solving Similar Problems

Using the same formula, you can calculate the percentage for any similar problem. Just substitute the "part" and "whole" with the relevant numbers. For example, to find what percentage 75 is of 300, you would perform the following calculation:

(75 / 300) x 100% = 25%

Conclusion

Calculating percentages is a straightforward process. By understanding the formula and applying it step by step, you can easily determine the percentage one number represents of another. Remember the key formula: (Part / Whole) x 100% = Percentage. This simple tool empowers you to solve various percentage problems effectively in various contexts. Now you know definitively that 100 is 20% of 500.