How to Calculate a Percentage of an Amount Using a Decimal Multiplier

Why Use the Decimal Multiplier Method of Finding a Percentage?

There are many methods of finding percentages of an amount. You could build up your answer by finding simple percentages such as 50%, 10%, 1%, etc. and adding them up. You could divide by 100 to find 1% and then multiply up to find what you need.
These are great methods and have their uses, but the multiplier method is especially useful as it can be used to solve other problems such as percentage increases and decreases, compound interest, reverse percentage problems and more.

What Is a Decimal Multiplier?​

The decimal multiplier is simply the percentage you are working with after it has been converted into a decimal. Converting from a percentage into a decimal is easily done if you remember that 'per-cent' means 'out of 100'. This means that for any percentage, to convert it into decimal form, you divide by 100.

Examples

32% = 32 ÷ 100 = 0.32
6% = 6 ÷ 100 = 0.06
125% = 125 ÷ 100 = 1.25

How to Use Your Decimal Multiplier

Now that you have converted your percentage into a decimal, you simply multiply this by your amount.
Example 1
32% of 160
32% = 32 ÷ 100 = 0.32
32% of 160 = 0.32 × 160 = 51.2

Example 2
8% of 60
8% = 8 ÷ 100 = 0.088% of 60 = 0.08 × 60 = 4.8

This Method Even Works With Percentages Over 100%

If your percentage is larger than 100%, the method is still exactly the same; find your multiplier by dividing by 100, then multiply your amount.

Example
145% of 63
145% = 145 ÷ 100 = 1.45
145% of 63 = 1.45 × 60 = 87
Note that as your percentage is larger than 100%, the answer is larger than your starting number.

Comments

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