Percentage of a number
Scenario: Find 20% of £150.
20 ÷ 100 × 150 = 30
The percentage is 20, the number is 150, and the result is £30.
Part-to-whole percentage
Scenario: 45 correct answers out of 180.
45 ÷ 180 × 100 = 25%
The part is 45 and the whole is 180, so the score is 25%.
Percentage increase
Scenario: Salary rises from £32,000 to £36,000.
(36,000 − 32,000) ÷ 32,000 × 100 = 12.5%
The original is £32,000, the new value is £36,000, and the increase is 12.5%.
Percentage decrease
Scenario: Usage falls from 500 to 425 units.
(425 − 500) ÷ 500 × 100 = −15%
The original is 500 and the final value is 425, a 15% decrease.
Value after tax or markup
Scenario: Add 15% to a £120 item.
120 × (1 + 15 ÷ 100) = 138
The original is £120, the increase is £18, and the final value is £138.
Discount price
Scenario: Take 20% off an £80 item.
80 × (1 − 20 ÷ 100) = 64
The original is £80, the discount is £16, and the final price is £64.
True reverse percentage
Scenario: A final price is £92 after a 20% discount.
92 ÷ (1 − 20 ÷ 100) = 115
The final value is £92 and the original price was £115.
Percentage difference
Scenario: Compare measurements 80 and 100 with no baseline.
|80 − 100| ÷ ((80 + 100) ÷ 2) × 100 = 22.22%
The values differ by 20; relative to their average of 90, the difference is 22.22%.