Updated 04.06.2026
What is Percentage?
Percentage is a way of expressing a value out of 100. It is represented by the percent symbol (%).
Examples of percentages include 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, and 100%.
We use percentages in many situations in our daily lives, such as exam results, shopping discounts, bank interest, profit and loss, surveys, and many other areas.
Percentage questions are also commonly asked in competitive exams such as SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS, RRB Group D, RRB ALP, RRB NTPC, banking exams, and many other government examinations.
Meaning of Percentage
The word percentage comes from two words:
- Per = For every
- Cent = One hundred
So, the meaning of percentage is “per hundred” or “out of 100.”
Examples of percentage
- 50% (read as 50 percent) means 50 out of 100.
- 25% (read as 25 percent) means 25 out of 100.
- 30% (read as 30 percent) means 30 out of 100.
- 100% (read as 100 percent) means 100 out of 100, which represents the whole quantity.
Example Question
Question: If 50 students pass an exam out of 100 students, what is the pass percentage?
Answer: 50%
Why?
Because percentage means “out of 100.” Since 50 students passed out of 100 students, the pass percentage is 50%.
Important Note
In English, we usually say 50 percent, 25 percent, or 30 percent.
We generally do not say 50 percentage or 25 percentage. The correct term is percent.
Why Do We Divide by 100?
Because in percentage, we always express a value out of 100.
This makes it easier to compare different quantities.
So 60%=60/100
25%=25/100
40%=40/100
Example
Suppose there are two students, A and B.
- Student A scores 45 marks out of 50.
- Student B scores 72 marks out of 80.
Can you immediately tell who scored better?
It is difficult because both students had different total marks.
This is where percentages help us.
Student A
If 50 marks represent the full score, then 50 marks = 100%.
Therefore,
45 marks = (45 × 100) ÷ 50 = 90%
Student B
If 80 marks represent the full score, then 80 marks = 100%.
Therefore,
72 marks = (72 × 100) ÷ 80 = 90%
Both students scored 90%.
Without converting their marks into percentages, it would have been difficult to compare their performance fairly.
This is why percentages are so useful. They convert different quantities into a common scale of 100, making comparisons simple and accurate.
Percentage as Per Hundred
Now let us see another magic of percentages.
Do you know that 1/2 and 50% are actually the same?
Don’t believe it? Look below:
50% = 50/100 = 1/2
This means every percentage can be written as a fraction with 100 in the denominator.
More Examples
- 10% = 10/100 = 1/10
- 25% = 25/100 = 1/4
- 40% = 40/100 = 2/5
- 60% = 60/100 = 3/5
- 75% = 75/100 = 3/4
This is why the percentage is often called “per hundred.”
Once you understand this concept, converting percentages into fractions becomes very easy.
Percentages are used almost everywhere in our daily lives.
Percentage Formula
Now we know much basic about percentage and let us now move to the formula:
The basic percentage formula is:
Percentage = (Part ÷ Total) × 100
Example 1
Sima scores 90 marks out of 100.
Here:
- Part = 90 marks (marks obtained)
- Total = 100 marks (maximum marks)
Using the formula:
Percentage = (90 ÷ 100) × 100
Percentage = 90%
So, Sima scored 90%.
Example 2
Rajesh scores 30 marks out of 50 in a subject.
Here:
- Part = 30 marks
- Total = 50 marks
Using the formula:
Percentage = (30 ÷ 50) × 100
Percentage = 60%
So, Rajesh scored 60% in the subject.
Quick Tip on Percentage
Whenever you need to find a percentage:
- Divide the part by the total.
- Multiply the answer by 100.
- Add the percent (%) symbol.
That’s all there is to the basic percentage formula.
Real Life Examples of Percentage
Exam Results
If you score 65 marks out of 100, your percentage is:
(65 ÷ 100) × 100 = 65%
If you score 45 marks out of 50, your percentage is:
(45 ÷ 50) × 100 = 90%
If you score 63 marks out of 70, your percentage is:
(63 ÷ 70) × 100 = 90%
Shopping Discounts
Suppose a blanket costs ₹1,000 and a shop offers a 30% discount.
How much money do you save?
30% of ₹1,000
= (30/100) × 1000
= ₹300
So, you save ₹300.
Bank Interest
Banks use percentages to calculate interest on savings and loans.
Suppose you deposit ₹1,000 in a bank that offers 10% simple interest per year.
Interest earned:
10% of ₹1,000
= (10/100) × 1000
= ₹100
So, you earn ₹100 as interest.
Profit and Loss
Shopkeepers use percentages to calculate profit and loss.
Suppose a shopkeeper buys a toy for ₹100 and sells it with a 20% profit.
Profit earned:
20% of ₹100
= (20/100) × 100
= ₹20
So, the shopkeeper earns a profit of ₹20.
Why Percentage is Important for Competitive Exams
After learning percentage, a common question that comes to mind is:
“Where will I use it in exams?”
The answer is simple. Percentage is not only a chapter by itself, but it also helps in understanding many other chapters of mathematics.
Percentage in SSC Exams
If you look at SSC examinations such as SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS, and SSC GD, you will find percentage questions in many papers.
Sometimes the question is directly from percentage, while at other times percentage is hidden inside another chapter. If you are preparing for SSC examinations, you can also explore our detailed SSC exam resources and syllabus guides.
Percentage in Railway Exams
In railway examinations such as RRB NTPC, RRB Group D, and RRB ALP, percentage is a topic that students often encounter.
Many questions become much easier when you are comfortable with percentage calculations. Candidates preparing for RRB NTPC, RRB Group D, and RRB ALP can also check our railway exam resources.
Percentage in Banking Exams
Think about a bank for a moment.
Interest rates, loan rates, returns on deposits, and many other banking calculations are expressed in percentages.
This is one reason why percentage-based questions are included in banking examinations.
Percentage in Defence Exams
Defence examinations also include arithmetic questions, and percentage is one of the concepts that candidates are expected to understand.
A good grasp of percentages can save valuable time during the exam.
A Small Observation
If you learn percentage properly, you are not learning just one chapter.
You are preparing yourself for many other chapters that use percentage concepts in one form or another. For example, Mixture and Alligation, Profit and Loss, Compound Interest, Ratio and Proportion, all these sections use percentage concepts. So, it will help you when you start learning those chapters.
That is why students who become strong in percentages often find several other arithmetic topics easier to understand.