August 24, 2011 Algebra Lesson: Percentage

Objectives
1. Convert percents into decimal numbers. 2. To convert decimal numbers into percents. 3. Use Polya's four step process to solve word problems involving percents. 4. Work problems involving pie charts and percents. 5. Work problems involving tables and percents.

Percents
o Percent means per hundred. o % is the symbol that we use to notate percent. o Some examples of percentages are: 15% = 15/100 = .15 25% = 25/100 = .25 100% = 100/100 = 1.00

Writing a Percent as a Decimal Number

When you are going from percent to decimal, drop the percent sign and then move your decimal two places to the left. Example 1: Write 57% as a decimal. Dropping the percent sign and then moving the decimal two places to the left we get: 57% = . 57 Example 2: Write 145% as a decimal. Dropping the percent sign and then moving the decimal two places to the left we get: 145% = 1.45 Example 3: Write .34% as a decimal. Dropping the percent sign and then moving the decimal two places to the left we get: .34% = .0034

August 24, 2011 Algebra Lesson: Percentage

Writing a Decimal Number as a Percent When you are going from decimal to percent, move your decimal place two to the right and then
put a % sign at the end of the number. Example 4: Write .78 as a percent. Moving the decimal place two to the right and then putting a % sign at the end of the number we get: .78 = 78% Example 5: Write 8 as a percent. Moving the decimal place two to the right and then putting a % sign at the end of the number we get: 8 = 800% Example 6: Write .0325 as a percent. Moving the decimal place two to the right and then putting a % sign at the end of the number we get: .0325 = 3.25%

Percent Problems Whenever you are working with a percent problem you need to make sure you write your
percent in an equivalent decimal form as shown above. When you are looking for a percent, make sure that you convert your decimal into a percent, as shown above, for the final answer.

Example 7: Find 45% of 125. Step 1: Understand the problem. We are looking for a number that is 45% of 125 x = the value we are looking for Step 2: Devise a plan (translate). A number (x) that is 45% of 125. x= 0.45 x 125 Step 3: Carry out the plan (solve). Multiply x=0.45 x 125 =56.25 Step 4: Look back (check and interpret). 56.25 is 45% of 125. The final answer for x is 56.25.