Jessica M.

asked • 10/12/16

2 1/2% as a fraction

A seamstress wastes 2 1/2% of the material used to make a dress. Write this percent as a fraction. 

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David W. answered • 10/12/16

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% means "per hundred"             [remember 100 cents in a dollar]
 
So, 2 1/2% means ( 2 1/2)/100.
 
(2 1/2)/100 = (5/2)/100           [convert 2 1/2 to improper fraction 5/2]
                  = (5/2)*(1/100)      [to divide by fraction 100/1, invert to 1/100 and multiply]
                 = 5/200               [multiply numerators and multiply denominators]
                 = 1/40             [reduce]
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Leonard S. answered • 10/12/16

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First just change the numeric part of 2 1/2% to a decimal
 
2.5% since 1/2 = .5
 
% = 1/100 by definition
 
Think of % as a variable. Anything in front of a variable implies multiplication
 
2.5% means 2.5 * 1/100 = 2.5/100
 
divide 2.5/100
 
2.5/100 = .025
 
Three decimal places is thousandths
 
25/1000 reduce fraction 
 
25/1000 = 1/40 since the numerator and denominator can both be divided by 25
 
 
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