what is 21 5/8% as a decimal
The correct answer and explanation is:
✅ Correct Answer:
21 5/8% as a decimal is 0.21625
🔎 Step-by-Step Explanation:
To convert 21 5/8% to a decimal, follow these steps:
Step 1: Convert the mixed number to an improper fraction.
21 5/8 is a mixed number (a whole number + a fraction).
To convert it to an improper fraction: 2158=(21×8)+58=168+58=173821 \frac{5}{8} = \frac{(21 \times 8) + 5}{8} = \frac{168 + 5}{8} = \frac{173}{8}
So, 21 5/8% = 173/8 percent
Step 2: Convert the percent to a decimal.
“Percent” means “per hundred,” or divide by 100: 1738÷100=1738×100=173800\frac{173}{8} \div 100 = \frac{173}{8 \times 100} = \frac{173}{800}
Step 3: Perform the division.
173800=0.21625\frac{173}{800} = 0.21625
💡 Final Answer:
21 5/8% = 0.21625 (as a decimal)
📘 Why This Matters:
Understanding how to convert percentages to decimals is crucial in many areas of real life, including finance, statistics, and measurement. For example:
- In budgeting, a 21 5/8% discount is easier to apply when expressed as a decimal.
- In spreadsheets and calculators, percentages must often be converted to decimals to work correctly in formulas.
Learning to work with mixed numbers, fractions, and percentages together improves your mathematical fluency and helps you solve more complex problems with confidence.