What Is 15 Percent Of 85

What is 15 Percent of 85? A Simple Guide to Percentage Calculations

Calculating percentages is a fundamental skill with wide-ranging applications, from calculating discounts and taxes to understanding financial reports and statistical data. This article will demonstrate how to calculate 15 percent of 85, explaining the process step-by-step and providing you with the tools to tackle similar percentage problems independently. Understanding this will help you with various percentage calculations, whether it's figuring out sales tax, tips, or discounts.

Understanding Percentages

A percentage represents a fraction of 100. For instance, 15 percent (15%) means 15 out of 100, or 15/100. To calculate a percentage of a number, you essentially find that fraction of the number.

Method 1: Using Decimal Conversion

This is arguably the most straightforward method. We convert the percentage to a decimal and then multiply it by the number.

1. Convert the percentage to a decimal: To convert 15% to a decimal, divide it by 100: 15 / 100 = 0.15

2. Multiply the decimal by the number: Multiply the decimal (0.15) by 85: 0.15 * 85 = 12.75

Therefore, 15% of 85 is 12.75.

Method 2: Using Fractions

This method involves converting the percentage to a fraction and then multiplying it by the number.

1. Convert the percentage to a fraction: 15% can be written as 15/100.

2. Simplify the fraction (optional): The fraction 15/100 can be simplified to 3/20 by dividing both the numerator and denominator by 5.

3. Multiply the fraction by the number: Multiply the simplified fraction (3/20) by 85: (3/20) * 85 = 255/20

4. Convert the improper fraction to a decimal: Divide 255 by 20: 255 / 20 = 12.75

Again, 15% of 85 is 12.75.

Practical Applications & Further Exploration

Understanding how to calculate percentages is crucial in many real-world situations. This simple calculation can be applied to:

• Sales and discounts: Determining the price after a 15% discount.
• Taxes: Calculating the amount of sales tax on an item.
• Tips: Figuring out the appropriate tip amount in a restaurant.
• Financial analysis: Understanding profit margins and growth rates.
• Statistical analysis: Interpreting data represented as percentages.

By mastering this fundamental skill, you'll enhance your problem-solving abilities and gain a deeper understanding of numerical data. You can extend this knowledge to calculate any percentage of any number using the same methods described above. Remember to always convert the percentage to a decimal or fraction before performing the multiplication. Practice with different examples to solidify your understanding.