Step by step
The question
Question: work out 45% of 120.
45% of 120 = ?
Percent means out of 100.
So 10% is 10 out of 100: one tenth.
To find 10%, we divide by 10.
10% = ÷ 10
1 Find 10%
120 divided by 10 is 12.
10% of 120 = 120 ÷ 10 = 12
2 Build 45%
We build 45% from easy pieces: 45% is 40% and 5%.
45% = 40% + 5%
40% is 4 times 10%.
4 times 12 is 48.
40% of 120 = 4 × 12 = 48
5% is half of 10%.
Half of 12 is 6.
5% of 120 = 12 ÷ 2 = 6
3 Add the pieces
Now we add the pieces.
48 plus 6 is 54.
45% of 120 = 48 + 6
= 54
So 45% of 120 is 54.
Let's look back.
First: find 10%.
Then: build 45%.
Last: add the pieces.
Answer
= 54