What percent of 50 is 20?

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Answer 1 · 2017-04-22T19:12:18

$40%$

Percent is basically a fraction but one where the bottom number (denominator) is fixed at 100.

Let the unknown value be $x$

Then we have:

$20/50-=x/100$

Where $-=$ means equivalent to

To get $x$ on its own multiply both sides by $color(red)(100)$

$color(green)(20/50color(red)(xx100)" "=" "x/100color(red)(xx100)$

$color(green)(20xx(color(red)(100))/50" "=" "x xx(color(red)(100))/100)$

But $100/50=2 and 100/100=1$ giving

$20xx2=x xx1$

$40" "=" "x$

So the recent in fraction format is $40/100$

In normal written format it is $40%$
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
$color(blue)("Additional comment")$

The symbol % is like a unit of measurement but one that is worth $1/100$

So $40%->40xx%->40xx1/100=40/100$