Clarification about percentage calculusWhy if we want to know what percentage of 16 is 4 we do4/16 and not16/4?4/16 gives you the answer, because it's equal to 0.25, that is equal to 25%, while 16/4 doesn't (I guess); but I don't understand the logic. It seems more natural to me to do 16/4, because if I want to know the percentage I would split the 16 by 4 to know how many parts does the 4 create (in my logic the number of parts created define the percentage). So if I try to do 16/4 I get 4, but then I don't know how to go on to get 25%. Maybe there's a way to obtain the result in the way I'm proposing but I don't know it.I hope my question doesn't sound stupid, but this is one of the many basic things that I'm lacking in math to fully understand its logic.

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Clarification about percentage calculusWhy if we want to know what percentage of 16 is 4 we do4/16 and not16/4?4/16 gives you the answer, because it&#039;s equal to 0.25, that is equal to 25%, while 16/4 doesn&#039;t (I guess); but I don&#039;t understand the logic. It seems more natural to me to do 16/4, because if I want to know the percentage I would split the 16 by 4 to know how many parts does the 4 create (in my logic the number of parts created define the percentage). So if I try to do 16/4 I get 4, but then I don&#039;t know how to go on to get 25%. Maybe there&#039;s a way to obtain the result in the way I&#039;m proposing but I don&#039;t know it.I hope my question doesn&#039;t sound stupid, but this is one of the many basic things that I&#039;m lacking in math to fully understand its logic.

Haleigh Vega · Accepted Answer

Percentages are always expressed as a part of 1.As you say   r  =            p      q       gives you the number of parts of   q in   p, but then you have to compute the number of parts of   r in   1 to get a percentage. So your percentage is indeed             1      r      .And            1      r        =            1                        p          q                      =            q      p

Clarification about percentage calculus Why if we want to know what percentage of 16 is 4 we do 4

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