Express each of the following decimals as a percentage. (a) 0.78 (b) 0.25 (c) 0.07 (d) 0.095 (e) 1.35 (f) 2.6
The correct answer and explanation is:
Here are the correct answers, converting each decimal into a percentage:
(a) 0.78 = 78%
(b) 0.25 = 25%
(c) 0.07 = 7%
(d) 0.095 = 9.5%
(e) 1.35 = 135%
(f) 2.6 = 260%
To convert a decimal into a percentage, multiply the decimal by 100 and then add the percent symbol (%). This is because the word “percent” means “per hundred.” So, for example, saying “0.78” is the same as saying “78 per hundred,” or simply 78%.
In part (a), multiplying 0.78 by 100 gives 78. This means that 0.78 as a percentage is 78%.
In part (b), 0.25 × 100 = 25, which means 25%. This is a common fraction, one-quarter, and is well known to equal 25%.
Part (c) involves a smaller number, 0.07. Multiplying it by 100 gives 7%, showing that the decimal represents a smaller portion.
In part (d), 0.095 × 100 = 9.5. Since the decimal is between 0.09 and 0.10, the answer is 9.5%, reflecting a value less than 10%.
For part (e), 1.35 is more than 1 whole, so multiplying it by 100 gives 135%, which is greater than 100%, meaning more than a full unit.
Finally, part (f), 2.6 × 100 = 260%. This is more than double, as 2.6 represents 260 per hundred.
This process is useful in many real-life situations such as calculating interest, test scores, discount rates, and statistics. Understanding how to switch between decimals and percentages makes it easier to compare quantities and evaluate proportions. It is a key mathematical skill in both academic and practical contexts.