percentage

Everyday

1. (maths) A percentage is a number written as a part of 100, using the sign %, as 25% means 25 out of every 100. tree →
2. A percentage is a part or share of something, as in «a large percentage of the class». tree →
3. (informal) There's no percentage in it means there's no benefit. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, pupils find percentages of amounts (10% of 50 = 5), change fractions into percentages (½ = 50%) and use them in shopping problems with discounts and price rises. In science, results are shown as percentages; in news, survey results. Phrases: «a high percentage», «percentage increase», «percentage of».

Examples

• Fifty percent is the same as a half. tree →
• What percentage of the class has a pet? tree →
• The percentage of water in the human body is about 60%. tree →
• A 20% discount on £10 saves £2. tree →
• A small percentage of pupils walk to school. tree →
• We turned our test scores into percentages. tree →
• The battery is at a low percentage, so charge it. tree →

Note

Use «percentage» for the idea and «percent» (or «per cent» in British English) with a number: 30 percent, a high percentage. Maths: to find P% of an amount, multiply by P and divide by 100. A percentage can be more than 100% (a price can rise by 150%). «Percentage points» compare percentages: from 20% to 30% is 10 percentage points.