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Math Symbols
The Most Valuable and Important
Miscellaneous Symbols
. . .
Shown and Explained

"Percent"




Background - why percent symbols are used. . .

Symbols are a concise way of giving lengthy instructions related to numbers and logic.

Math Symbols are an invention, not a discovery. They are a communication tool. Symbols are used to eliminate the need to write long, plain language instructions to describe calculations and other processes. 




The most valuable, most frequently used Symbols in mathematics . . .

          The most important, most frequently used Symbols for 
            Miscellaneous Symbols are listed below.
To See All Symbols To See All Symbols To See All Symbols To See All Symbols click here
Math - Symbol for Percent Math Symbol for "Percent" -
To understand the % sign, ask yourself the following four questions: (1) What does the % sign mean? . . . A % is used to compare a number (any number) to 100 using division. Under normal circumstances, all numbers are compared to the number 1 using division.

For example, the number 3 is only a 3 when it is compared to the number 1 using division. It is three times as big as the number 1.

 Division However, a % does not use the number 1 for comparison purposes.

A % is used to compare a number (any number) to 100 using division.

Continuing on with the number 3 as an example, the result would be: (Note that the quotient must still equal 3. The number 300 is three times as big as 100.)

 Division The final percentage is: 3 = 300% . . . Any number can be converted to a %.

You can complete a short calculation similar to the example shown above, or . . .

. . . Just move the decimal point to the right by two places.

 percent - move decimal percent - move decimal percent - move decimal (2) Where is a % math symbol used?

A % math symbol is only used to represent a proportion. A percent tells you that you are dealing with a ratio.

 Although any number can be converted into a %, percents are only used to represent ratios.

What is the point of converting a ratio to a %?

Why not just skip the % and use the original number?

Is there any advantage to saying 5.6% instead of .056?

Read on . . .

 (3) How is a % math symbol used? There are thousands and thousands of applications where the concept of a percent is used every day.

Here are some common examples:

 . . . Sales Tax . . .

. . . If you pay sales tax, the tax will be stated as a %. If the sales tax is 8%, this means that you will pay the government a tax of 8 dollars for every 100 dollars you spend.

 . . . Bank Interest . . .

. . . If you deposit money in a bank, the interest the bank will pay on your account will be stated as a %. If the interest rate is 5% (simple annual interest), this means that the bank will pay you 5 dollars for every 100 you leave in your account for one year.

 . . . Credit Card Interest . . .

. . . If you use a credit card, the interest you pay on the outstanding balance you owe will be stated as a %. If the interest rate is 20% (simple annual interest), this means that you pay the credit card company an extra 20 dollars per year for every 100 dollars of unpaid debt.

 . . . Test Grades in School . . .

. . . Test grades in school are often stated as a %. If a student has a test average of 81%, this means that for every 100 questions the student answers on his or her tests, 81 questions are answered correctly.

 . . . Slope of a railroad track . . .

. . . Slope is often stated as a %. If a slope of a railroad track is a 5% grade, this means that for every 100 feet of horizontal distance the tracks drop 5 feet in elevation.

 . . . Survey (Poll) . . .

. . . Survey results are often stated as a %. If a survey found that 75% of restaurant patrons preferred a certain type of food, this means that for every 100 people, 75 people prefer that type of food.

 (4) What math symbols can be mistaken for a % sign ? . . . Per mille . . .

. . . The Per mille symbol is not equivalent to a Percent symbol.

1 % means 1 part in 100.

 1 Per mille Symbol means 1 part in 1000. Per mille Symbol
. . . Basis point . . .

. . . The Basis Point symbol is not equivalent to a Percent symbol.

1 % means 1 part in 100.

 1 Basis Point Symbol means 1 part in 10000. Basis Point Symbol




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