Step by step
The question
Question: 24 is 40% of what number?
40% of ? = 24
We write it like this: 40% of the number is 24.
24 is a part.
The whole number is what we want.
? = the whole number
Careful!
Many people work out 40% of 24.
But 24 is not the whole.
It is only 40% of it.
Careful: not 40% of 24 ✗
1 Write the percent as a fraction
Percent means out of 100.
So 40% is 40/100.
40% = 40100
40 and 100 can both be divided by 20.
So 40% is 2/5: 2 of 5 equal parts.
= 40 ÷ 20100 ÷ 20 = 25
2 Draw the whole
3 Find one part
2 parts make 24.
So one part is 24 divided by 2.
That is 12.
1 part = 24 ÷ 2 = 12
Every part is 12.
4 Find the whole
The whole is 5 parts.
5 times 12 is 60.
5 parts = 5 × 12 = 60
So 24 is 40% of 60.
5 Check
Let's check: is 40% of 60 really 24?
40% is 2/5.
Of means times.
60 divided by 5 is 12.
2 times 12 is 24.
40% of 60 = 25 × 60 = 2 × 12 = 24 (60 ÷ 5 = 12)
We get 24.
So it is right!
Let's look back.
First: write the percent as a fraction.
Then: draw the whole.
Then: find one part.
Then: find the whole.
Last: check.
Answer
5 parts = 5 × 12 = 60