Question Author
�im just getting confused real easy. for this question 'Of the 40 guests at a party, 32 of them were women. What percentage were women?' to get the answer i subracted 32 from 40 which gave me 8 then i multiplied the 8 by 10 to get me the 80% is this wrong?�
WroteForLuck, That's fine assuming all the women in this problem are blondes, not always the case.
Multiplying by "10" (where did you come up with that?) only "works" because 8 is coincidently 10% of 80.
To insure consistent results for any and all particular variables, stick to the proven method (as shown in the previous post/s)
Percentage refers to a specific ratio's relationship to parts per hundred. Relating ratios to parts of 100 provides the mind with a consistent reference; 1/2, 7/14, 27/54, 18.3/36.6, are all versions of 50% (50 out of 100).
Three out of four, 3/4, 10.5/14, 669/892, are all versions of 75%. Using a common reference makes comparison between ratios more available to direct perception, reducing the potential for confusion.
For those who must work a lot with ratios and percentages, adhering to ones chosen proven method soon becomes habit. For others there is the calculator in which the method is carved in (silicon) stone.