Have you ever found yourself scratching your head, wondering how to calculate percentages? Maybe you’re trying to figure out how much you should tip at a restaurant or what your grade would be on a test. Well, you’re not alone! Today, we’ll dive into the world of percentages and answer the burning question: what is 40% of 70?
Breaking Down the Problem
Before we get to the nitty-gritty of the calculation, let’s first understand what we’re dealing with. When we ask “what is 40% of 70,” we’re essentially asking, “if we take 70 and divide it into 100 equal parts, how much would 40 of those parts be?”
To put it in perspective, imagine you have a pie cut into 100 equal slices. If you take 40 of those slices, that’s the same as taking 40% of the whole pie. Now, let’s apply this concept to our question.
Solving the Puzzle
There are a few different ways to calculate percentages, but we’ll focus on the most straightforward method. To find 40% of 70, we need to convert the percentage to a decimal and then multiply it by 70. Here’s how it works:
- Convert 40% to a decimal by dividing it by 100. So, 40 ÷ 100 = 0.4
- Multiply 0.4 by 70. So, 0.4 × 70 = 28
And there you have it! 40% of 70 is 28.
Simplifying the Fraction
Now, let’s take it a step further. We can also express this answer as a fraction. To do this, we’ll write 40% as a fraction (40/100) and then multiply it by 70/1. Here’s what that looks like:
(40/100) × (70/1) = 2800/100
We can simplify this fraction by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor, which is 100. So, 2800 ÷ 100 = 28 and 100 ÷ 100 = 1.
Therefore, the simplified fraction is 28/1, which is equal to 28.
Expressing as a Decimal
If you prefer working with decimals, we can also express our answer as a decimal. To do this, we simply divide 28 by 70. Here’s the calculation:
28 ÷ 70 = 0.4
So, 40% of 70 can also be expressed as 0.4.
Wrapping Up
Who knew that a simple question like “what is 40% of 70” could lead us down such an exciting path? We’ve learned how to calculate percentages, simplify fractions, and express answers as decimals.
The next time you find yourself faced with a percentage problem, whether you’re calculating a discount at your favorite store or figuring out how much of your paycheck to save, remember the steps we’ve gone through today. With a little bit of practice, you’ll be a percentage pro in no time!