Step by step
The question
Question: 5 is 25% of what number?
25% of ? = 5
We write it like this: 25% of the number is 5.
5 is a part.
The whole number is what we want.
? = the whole number
Careful!
Many people work out 25% of 5.
But 5 is not the whole.
It is only 25% of it.
Careful: not 25% of 5 ✗
1 Write the percent as a fraction
Percent means out of 100.
So 25% is 25/100.
25% = 25100
25 and 100 can both be divided by 25.
So 25% is 1/4: 1 of 4 equal parts.
= 25 ÷ 25100 ÷ 25 = 14
2 Draw the whole
One part is 5.
So every part is 5.
3 Find the whole
The whole is 4 parts.
4 times 5 is 20.
4 parts = 4 × 5 = 20
So 5 is 25% of 20.
4 Check
Let's check: is 25% of 20 really 5?
25% is 1/4.
Of means times.
20 divided by 4 is 5.
25% of 20 = 14 × 20 = 5 (20 ÷ 4 = 5)
We get 5.
So it is right!
Let's look back.
First: write the percent as a fraction.
Then: draw the whole.
Then: find the whole.
Last: check.
Answer
4 parts = 4 × 5 = 20