Question

What number is 32% of 50?

Answer 1

`32% " of " 50 = 16`

Explanation:

There are a couple ways to do this, but a recent 'trick' I learned is that:

`x% " of " y = y% " of " x`

Using this 'trick' you can substitute `32% " of " 50 " with " 50% " of " 32`.

`50%` is the same as saying `1/2`, so `32/2 = 16.`

As a check, we'll do the other way, longhand:

The decimal form of `32%" is " 0.32`

`50xx0.32=(50xx0.3)+(50xx0.02)`
`50xx0.3= 5xx3 = 15`
`50xx0.02=5xx0.2=1`
`15+1=16`

Answer 2

`16`

Explanation:

Breaking down the word percent we get per, meaning out of, and cent, meaning `100`. A percentage can be though of as our number out of `100` or `n/100`. In this case our `n` is 32, therefore, `32% = 32/100`. We can now determine `32%` of `50` by multiplying the two.
`32/100 * 50 = 16`.