5.2 Finding percentages using a calculator
There are different ways to work out percentages on a calculator. You can work out any percentage on a calculator by dividing by 100 first (to find 1%) and then multiplying the amount by the percentage you need.
If you were asked to work out 20% of 80, you could do the following:
80 ÷ 100 = 0.8
0.8 × 20 = 16
However, most calculators (including those on a mobile phone) will often have a percentage button. The percentage button looks like this:
To successfully use it when calculating percentages you would enter the sum into your calculator as follows.
If you were asked to find 20% of 80, on your calculator you would input:
80 × 20%
This would give you the following answer:
80 × 20% = 16
If you were asked to find 20% of 80, on your calculator you would input:
20% × 80
This would give you the following answer:
20% × 80 = 16
Different calculators may work in different ways so you need to familiarise yourself with how to use the % button on your calculator.
Summary
In this section you have learned how to solve problems using percentages, and how to calculate percentage increases and decreases.