What is 3.5% of 500?

2 Answers
Mar 1, 2017

#17.5#

Explanation:

Move the decimal place of 3.5 two times to the left because it's a percent.

#3.5%=.035#

Now multiply #.035# to 500.

#.035*500=17.5#

Mar 1, 2017

17.5

Explanation:

The symbol % is like a unit of measurement that is worth #1/100#

So #3.5%" "->" "3.5xx1/100 = 3.5/100#

The use of the word 'of' is interpreted as multiply

Like in 2 of apples #=2xx# apples = apples + apples

So 3.5% of 5000 is the same as:

#3.5/100xx500#
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(brown)("Explaining in detail a quick mental calculation method")#
#color(brown)("Doing it in the mind is much faster than writing it")#
#color(brown)("as you jump steps.")#

However, 500 is the same as #5xx100# so we can write this as:

#3.5xx1/100xx5xx100#

#3.5xx5xx1/100xx100#

#3.5xx5xx100/100#

#3.5xx5xx1#

#3.5xx5#

#3.5xx10/2" "=" "35/2=17.5#