What is 50% of 150? A Simple Percentage Calculation
Finding a percentage of a number is a common mathematical task. This article will clearly explain how to calculate 50% of 150, and provide a few different methods to solve this problem. Understanding these methods will help you solve similar percentage problems in the future.
Understanding Percentages
Before we dive into the calculation, let's quickly review what percentages represent. A percentage is a fraction of 100. 50%, for example, means 50 out of 100, or 50/100, which simplifies to 1/2. This means 50% is equivalent to one-half.
Method 1: Using the Fraction Equivalent
Since 50% is equal to 1/2, finding 50% of 150 is the same as finding half of 150. This is a simple division problem:
150 / 2 = 75
Therefore, 50% of 150 is 75.
Method 2: Converting Percentage to Decimal
Another way to solve this is by converting the percentage to a decimal. To do this, divide the percentage by 100:
50% / 100 = 0.5
Then, multiply this decimal by the number you want to find the percentage of:
0.5 * 150 = 75
Again, we find that 50% of 150 is 75.
Method 3: Using a Proportion
We can also solve this using a proportion. A proportion sets up an equivalence between two ratios. We know that 50 is to 100 as x (the unknown value) is to 150. This can be written as:
50/100 = x/150
To solve for x, we can cross-multiply:
50 * 150 = 100 * x 7500 = 100x x = 7500 / 100 x = 75
Therefore, 50% of 150 is 75.
Conclusion
Regardless of the method used, we consistently arrive at the same answer: 50% of 150 is 75. Understanding these different approaches to percentage calculations will allow you to confidently tackle similar problems in various contexts. Whether you are dealing with discounts, calculating tips, or solving more complex mathematical problems, mastering percentage calculations is a valuable skill.
