A percentage is a special type of fraction, meaning ‘out of 100’, and even has a special symbol % to indicate it as a percentage. Percentage calculations are very similar to fractions, and don’t forget that ‘of’ means multiply! See how close to 100% you can get in this GCSE Maths quiz.
A common type of percentage calculation is to find the percentage of a quantity. This is useful if you see a sign saying ‘15% off’, as you can work out the saving you will make. The same technique can be used for increases – if you get a 5% wage rise, you can work out how much extra will be in your pay packet.
As percentages occur in everyday life, it is a good idea to be able to work simple percentages out in your head.