Calculating Percentages
Percentages are used when calculating a variety of things, from tax, to mark-up, to material allowances.
To perform this task, you must remember that:
- To convert a percentage to decimal, divide by 100 or move the decimal to the left two times
- To convert a decimal to a percentage, multiply by 100 or move the decimal to the right two times.
Example Calculating Percentages Using Decimals
Calculate a 5% increase in a length of 4400 m.
Convert 5% to a decimal:
Multiply the decimal by the length:
Add the length to the original length for a total length:
Example Calculating Percentages Using the Percent Button
Calculate 11% tax on a bill of $78.95
Use the following keystrokes:
$78.95 + 11 =
The answer is $87.63.
The percent button automatically converts a number to percent. When the percent button is pressed, the percentage amount is displayed. When the equal button is pressed the total amount (original plus percentage) is displayed.
When calculating a discount, press “-“ instead of “+”