15 Is 60 Percent Of What Number

15 is 60 Percent of What Number? A Step-by-Step Guide

Meta Description: Learn how to solve the percentage problem "15 is 60 percent of what number?" using a simple formula and step-by-step explanation. We'll cover the basics of percentage calculations and provide practical examples.

Finding out what number 15 represents 60% of involves a straightforward mathematical process. This problem is a common type of percentage calculation, crucial for various applications from everyday budgeting to complex business analyses. Let's break down how to solve this step-by-step.

Understanding the Problem

The core of the problem lies in understanding the relationship between percentages, parts, and wholes. We know that 15 is a part of a larger whole number, and this part represents 60% of the whole. Our goal is to find the value of that whole number.

The Formula

The fundamental formula for solving percentage problems like this is:

(Part / Percentage) * 100 = Whole

However, we can rearrange this formula to directly solve for the "whole" number:

Whole = (Part / Percentage) * 100

Let's plug in the values from our problem:

• Part: 15
• Percentage: 60

Step-by-Step Calculation

1. Substitute the values: Replace "Part" with 15 and "Percentage" with 60 in the formula:

   Whole = (15 / 60) * 100

2. Solve the division: First, divide 15 by 60:

   15 / 60 = 0.25

3. Multiply by 100: Now, multiply the result by 100:

   0.25 * 100 = 25

Therefore, the answer is $\boxed{25}$

Alternative Approach: Using Decimals

Another way to approach this is by converting the percentage to a decimal. 60% is equivalent to 0.60 (or simply 0.6). We can then set up the equation:

0.6 * x = 15

To solve for 'x' (the whole number), divide both sides of the equation by 0.6:

x = 15 / 0.6

x = 25

This method leads to the same solution: 25.

Practical Applications

Understanding percentage calculations is vital in various real-world scenarios. For example:

• Sales and discounts: Calculating the original price of an item after a discount.
• Finance: Determining interest rates, loan repayments, and investment returns.
• Data analysis: Interpreting statistical data represented as percentages.
• Everyday budgeting: Tracking expenses and calculating proportions of income spent on different categories.

This simple problem demonstrates a fundamental mathematical concept with broad applications. Mastering this type of calculation enhances problem-solving skills across numerous fields.