Introduction to Writing Percents Using Words, Ratios, and Fractions

This image shows a sign at a bank indicating annual percentage rates for CDs.

Banks provide money for savings and charge money for loans. The interest on savings and loans is usually given as a percent.

When you deposit money in a savings account at a bank, it earns additional money. Figuring out how your money will grow involves understanding and applying concepts of percents. In this section, you'll find out what percents are and how we can use them to solve problems.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Use the definition of percent
Convert percents to fractions and decimals
Convert decimals and fractions to percents

Before you get started in this module, try a few practice problems and review prior concepts.

Examples

Translate "the ratio of [latex]33[/latex] to [latex]\text{5"}[/latex] into an algebraic expression.If you missed this problem, review [link].
Write [latex]\frac{3}{5}[/latex] as a decimal.If you missed this problem, review [link].
Write [latex]0.62[/latex] as a fraction.If you missed this problem, review [link].

Licenses & Attributions

CC licensed content, Shared previously

Interest rates. Authored by: Mike Mozart. Located at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeepersmedia/16373967348/. License: CC BY: Attribution.

CC licensed content, Specific attribution

Prealgebra. Provided by: OpenStax License: CC BY: Attribution. License terms: Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected].

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