Lessons and Worksheets

LESSON 2
Percent
Another symbol that is used to give important
information is the percent sign, %. Percents are
commonly used in the business world. They are
used to measure things like taxes and interest.
Percents are a way of describing parts of a whole.
With percents, one whole is divided into 100
parts. When referring to a percent, it means out
of 100. For instance, look at Figures A and B.
Figure A Figure B
In Figure A, all of the squares (the 100 parts
of this whole) are shaded. It means 100%. We
put the sign % after the number. When you hear
or say, 100% of something, this means all of it.
In Figure B, 50 of the squares are shaded.
This shows 50%. Notice 50 out of 100 is onehalf.
Applied Mathematics • 25