Percents

The word percent means “per hundred”. A percent is a ratio whose denominator is 100. The symbol for percent is %.

Writing Percents: In the area model shown, 85 of the 100 squares are shaded. You can say that 85 percent of the squares are shaded.

Percents and Decimals

• To write a decimal as a percent, move the decimal point two places to the right and write a percent sign.

• To write a percent as a decimal, move the decimal point two places to the left and remove the percent sign.

Find out more about percents by reading the explanation below.

Practice: Answer the following exercises about percents.