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📘intermediate algebra review

Percent to Decimal

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

Percent to decimal is the process of converting a percentage value to its equivalent decimal form. This conversion is essential in various mathematical operations and applications involving percentages.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. To convert a percent to a decimal, you divide the percent value by 100.
  2. Percent values can be written as a fraction with the denominator of 100, which can then be converted to a decimal.
  3. Decimal values can be easily converted back to percentages by multiplying by 100.
  4. Percent to decimal conversion is commonly used in calculations involving interest rates, tax rates, and various other financial and statistical applications.
  5. Understanding percent to decimal conversion is crucial for interpreting and manipulating data expressed as percentages.

Review Questions

  • Explain the step-by-step process of converting a percent to a decimal.
    • To convert a percent to a decimal, you simply divide the percent value by 100. For example, 25% would be converted to a decimal by dividing 25 by 100, resulting in 0.25. This process works because a percent is a fraction with a denominator of 100, and dividing by 100 is the same as moving the decimal point two places to the left. By converting a percent to a decimal, you can more easily perform mathematical operations and comparisons involving percentages.
  • Describe the relationship between percent, decimal, and fraction representations of a value.
    • Percent, decimal, and fraction are all ways to express the same underlying quantity. A percent is a way of expressing a number as a part of 100, a decimal is a number written in the base-10 numeral system, and a fraction is a numerical quantity expressed as the quotient of two integers. These three representations are interchangeable, and you can convert between them using simple mathematical operations. For example, 25% is equivalent to the decimal 0.25, which is also equivalent to the fraction 25/100.
  • Analyze the importance of percent to decimal conversion in real-world applications.
    • Percent to decimal conversion is crucial in a wide range of real-world applications. In finance, it is used to calculate interest rates, tax rates, and other percentages that are more easily manipulated in decimal form. In statistics and data analysis, percentages are often converted to decimals to facilitate calculations, comparisons, and visualizations. In everyday life, percent to decimal conversion is useful for understanding and working with concepts like discounts, tips, and probabilities. By being able to fluently convert between percent and decimal representations, you can more effectively interpret and apply numerical information in a variety of contexts.

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