Step by step
The question
Question: 9 is 3% of what number?
3% of ? = 9
We write it like this: 3% of the number is 9.
9 is a part.
The whole number is what we want.
? = the whole number
Careful!
Many people work out 3% of 9.
But 9 is not the whole.
It is only 3% of it.
Careful: not 3% of 9 ✗
1 Find 1%
3% is 3 lots of 1%.
So we find 1% first.
3% = 3 × 1%
1% is 9 divided by 3: 3.
1% of ? = 9 ÷ 3 = 3
2 Find 100%
The whole number is 100%: 100 lots of 1%.
100% = the whole
3 times 100 is 300.
100% of ? = 3 × 100 = 300
So 9 is 3% of 300.
3 Check
Let's check: is 3% of 300 really 9?
3% is 3/100.
Of means times.
3% of 300 = 3100 × 300
300 divided by 100 is 3.
3 times 3 is 9.
= 3 × 3 = 9 (300 ÷ 100 = 3)
We get 9.
So it is right!
Let's look back.
First: find 1%.
Then: find 100%.
Last: check.
Answer
100% of ? = 3 × 100 = 300