Percentages Decimals and Fractions: A Simple Guide

April 24, 2025 4 min read

Understanding the relationship between percentages, decimals, and fractions is a fundamental skill that unlocks a deeper understanding of math and its applications in everyday life. They're simply different ways of representing the same value.

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Consider this: a half can be shown as a fraction (1/2), as a decimal (0.5), or as a percentage (50%). Mastering how to convert between these forms empowers you to quickly grasp quantities and proportions. Use our calculator to easily convert between percentages decimals and fractions!

Common Values: Percentages, Decimals, and Fractions

Here's a quick reference table of frequently encountered values, presented in percentage, decimal, and fraction form:

Percent Decimal Fraction
1% 0.01 1/100
5% 0.05 1/20
10% 0.1 1/10
25% 0.25 1/4
50% 0.5 1/2
75% 0.75 3/4
100% 1 1

Simple Conversions

Here are steps to convert between percentages, decimals and fractions:

  • Percent to Decimal: Divide the percentage by 100. Remove the "%" symbol. Moving the decimal point two places to the left is a quick shortcut.
  • Decimal to Percent: Multiply the decimal by 100%. This is equivalent to shifting the decimal point two places to the right and adding the "%" symbol.
  • Fraction to Decimal: Divide the numerator (top number) by the denominator (bottom number).
  • Decimal to Fraction: Express the decimal as a fraction with a denominator of 10, 100, 1000, etc., then simplify. For example, 0.35 becomes 35/100, which simplifies to 7/20.
  • Fraction to Percentage: First, convert the fraction to a decimal. Then, multiply the decimal by 100%
  • Percentage to Fraction: Write the percentage as a fraction with a denominator of 100, then simplify.

Examples

Let's solidify these concepts with a few examples:

  • Converting 60% to a Decimal: 60 / 100 = 0.6
  • Converting 0.15 to a Percentage: 0.15 * 100% = 15%
  • Converting 1/5 to a Decimal: 1 / 5 = 0.2
  • Converting 0.625 to a Fraction: 0.625 = 625/1000 = 5/8
  • Converting 3/8 to a Percentage: 3 / 8 = 0.375, then 0.375 * 100% = 37.5%
  • Converting 70% to a Fraction: 70/100 = 7/10

Unlock Percentage Power with Our Calculator

Why struggle with manual conversions when you can get instant results? Our percentage calculator is designed for speed and accuracy, letting you focus on understanding the *why* behind the numbers.

Our calculator supports three key calculations:

  • Finding Percentage of a Number: Determine what a specific percentage of a number is. For example, find out what is 20% of 300.
  • Calculating Percentage of One Number to Another: Discover what percentage one number represents of another. For example, determine what percentage 50 is of 200.
  • Percentage Increase or Decrease: Compute the percentage change between two values. Great for analyzing growth or discounts!

Solve your percentage problems quickly on any device. No matter if you're on your computer or your phone, calculating percentages has never been easier.

Real-World Applications

Understanding percentages decimals and fractions goes far beyond the classroom. Here are just a few scenarios where these skills are invaluable:

  • Shopping: Quickly calculate discounts and sale prices using a discount calculator percent off.
  • Finance: Determine interest earned on savings or loans.
  • Cooking: Adjust ingredient quantities in recipes.
  • Data Analysis: Interpret statistics and data presented in percentage form.