Definition of converting fractions and decimals to percents for kids

📚 Understanding Percents

A percent is a special way of expressing a part of a whole. Think of it like slices of a pizza, but instead of any number of slices, the whole pizza is always cut into 100 slices. The word "percent" comes from the Latin "per centum," meaning "out of one hundred." So, when we say 50%, we mean 50 out of 100, or 50/100. 🎉

🗓️ A Little History

The idea of percentages has been around for a long time! It's believed that ancient Romans used something similar to percentages when calculating taxes on goods that were being auctioned. However, the symbol "%" that we use today didn't become common until much later, around the 17th century. 📜

🧮 Key Principles: Fractions to Percents

• ➗ Step 1: Divide the numerator (the top number) of the fraction by the denominator (the bottom number) to get a decimal.
• ✖️ Step 2: Multiply the decimal by 100.
• 💯 Step 3: Add the percent symbol (%) to the end.

For example, let's convert $\frac{1}{4}$ to a percent:

• ➗ Divide 1 by 4: $1 \div 4 = 0.25$
• ✖️ Multiply 0.25 by 100: $0.25 \times 100 = 25$
• 💯 Add the percent symbol: 25%

So, $\frac{1}{4}$ is equal to 25%. ✨

➗ Key Principles: Decimals to Percents

• ✖️ Step 1: Multiply the decimal by 100.
• 💯 Step 2: Add the percent symbol (%) to the end.

For example, let's convert 0.75 to a percent:

• ✖️ Multiply 0.75 by 100: $0.75 \times 100 = 75$
• 💯 Add the percent symbol: 75%

So, 0.75 is equal to 75%. 🎈

🌍 Real-World Examples

• 🛍️ Discounts: When you see a sale that says "20% off," it means you save 20 out of every 100 dollars.
• 📊 Test Scores: If you get 90 out of 100 questions right on a test, you got 90%.
• 🍕 Pizza: If you eat half of a pizza, you've eaten 50% of the pizza.

🎯 Conclusion

Converting fractions and decimals to percents is a useful skill! By following these simple steps, you can easily understand and work with percentages in everyday situations. 🎉 Keep practicing, and you'll become a percent pro in no time! 💪