Percentage as out of 100
35% means 35 out of every 100.
This helps connect percentages to fractions and decimals.
Year 6
Solve problems involving the calculation of percentages and the use of percentages for comparison
Use percentages to compare quantities and describe part-whole relationships.
Lesson overview
Ratio and proportion
A percentage means out of 100. Percentages help compare quantities fairly even when the whole amount changes.
Compare scores
80% is greater than 65%, so it represents the larger proportion.
Percentages make comparison easier because both are out of 100.
Worked example
A jumper costs 40 pounds and is reduced by 25%. How much is the discount?
| Whole | Percentage | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 25% | 10 |
- 25% is one quarter.
- One quarter of 40 is 10.
- So the discount is 10 pounds.
- The new price would be 30 pounds.
Try it
Think of the percentage as a fraction or decimal that you already know.
Question 1
35% means:
Question 2
Which percentage is greater?
Question 3
25% of 40 is:
Question 4
A coat is 50% off 60 pounds. What is the discount?
Question 5
Which fraction is equal to 20%?
| Percentage | Fraction |
|---|---|
| 20% | 1/5 |
Common mistakes
Watch for these when working through the lesson.
- Treating 25% as 25 pounds instead of a part of the whole.
- Comparing percentages with the wrong whole in mind.
- Mixing up the discount amount with the new price.
Related topics
These ideas fit closely with this lesson.
- Recall and use equivalences between fractions, decimals and percentages.
- Solve problems involving ratio and missing values.