Formula to Find Percentage of a Number: Explained

April 24, 2025 3 min read

Understanding percentages is essential in everyday life, from calculating discounts at the store to figuring out your investment returns. But what's the formula to find percentage of a number? Let's break down the concept and explore how you can easily calculate percentages using simple formulas and, even better, our user-friendly percentage calculator.

Solve Percentage Problems Instantly!

Use our calculator for quick, accurate results with a simple, user-friendly interface.

Calculate Percentages Now →

Understanding the Basics

A percentage is simply a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100. The word "percent" literally means "per hundred." So, when you see a percentage, you can think of it as 'this many out of 100'. For example, 25% means 25 out of 100.

The Core Formulas

There are three main types of percentage problems, each requiring a slightly different approach:

  1. Finding what percent of a number is: Use the formula: Percentage = (Part / Whole) * 100
  2. Finding a percentage of a number: Use the formula: Result = (Percentage / 100) * Number
  3. Finding the whole when you know a part and the percentage: Use the formula: Whole = Part / (Percentage / 100)

Examples in Action

Let's illustrate these formulas with some examples:

  1. What is 15% of 200?

    Using the second formula: Result = (15 / 100) * 200 = 30

  2. 30 is what percent of 150?

    Using the first formula: Percentage = (30 / 150) * 100 = 20%

  3. 30 is 20% of what number?

    Using the third formula: Whole = 30 / (20 / 100) = 150

Percentage Increase and Decrease

Another common use of percentages is calculating the increase or decrease between two values. The formula is:

Percentage Change = ((New Value - Old Value) / Old Value) * 100

For example, if a price increases from $80 to $100, the percentage increase is ((100 - 80) / 80) * 100 = 25%. Similarly, check out the percentage change calculator, convert decimal into percentage, convert number into percentage calculator and convert ratio to percentage tools.

Simplify with PercentageFinder.org

While understanding these formulas is helpful, sometimes you just need a quick answer. That's where PercentageFinder.org comes in! Our free online percentage calculator is designed to solve these problems instantly. Whether you're on your phone or computer, you can:

  • Find what percent of a number is.
  • Calculate the percentage of one number relative to another.
  • Determine percentage increases or decreases.

Simply enter your numbers, and our calculator will do the rest. No more manual calculations or confusing formulas!

Understanding the basic percentage formula empowers you to tackle a variety of calculations. But for speedy, accurate results, leverage our intuitive tool for all your percentage needs. Also, you can explore different math calculators, such as our fraction calculator, which is another great resource!