# How do you find 0.5% of 250?

Dec 21, 2016

$1.25$

#### Explanation:

1) Convert that percentage to either fraction or decimal:
0.5% = 0.005

2) Simply multiply your result by the total number
which in this case is 250:
$0.005 \times 250 = 1.25$

3) Therefore 5% "of " 250 = 1.25.

OR

The way I always try to do it (which can be a real challenge and you can do it even in your head if you practise a little) is:

I simply look at the total number, which is 250, and think

"what is 1% of that number?" (which is same as dividing by 100).

In this case it is $2.5$ because $\frac{250}{100} = 2.5$

We know that the question is asking for 0.5% and NOT 1%.

It should be easy enough to know $0.5$ is half of $1$.
So you just divide the answer of $2.5 \text{ by } 2$.

$\frac{2.5}{2} = 1.25$

As you can see it is the same number as in the first method.

Word of caution: This method will get more difficult if the numbers aren't so easy and straight forward. So for example if it asked for 43% of 250, then I encourage you to follow the first method.

Hope this helped (c: