What is 0.08% written as a decimal?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To convert a percentage into a decimal, you divide the percentage by 100. For the percentage 0.08%, the calculation to convert it into a decimal is as follows:
[
\text{Decimal} = \frac{0.08}{100} = 0.0008
]
Thus, 0.08% expressed as a decimal is 0.0008.
Explanation
Understanding how to convert percentages to decimals is crucial in various fields, including finance, science, and everyday mathematics. A percentage represents a fraction of 100. Therefore, when you encounter a percentage, it signifies a part of a whole divided into 100 equal parts. For example, 0.08% means 0.08 parts out of 100 parts.
To convert a percentage to a decimal, you need to follow a straightforward procedure: divide the percentage value by 100. This operation shifts the decimal point two places to the left.
In the case of 0.08%, the steps are simple:
- Take the number in the percentage (0.08).
- Divide it by 100.
This division is equivalent to moving the decimal point two places to the left, effectively transforming 0.08 into 0.0008.
It’s essential to note that decimals can represent very small or large quantities, and understanding this conversion helps in calculations involving fractions, ratios, and comparisons. For instance, if you were calculating discounts, interest rates, or probabilities, you often need to convert percentages into decimals for accurate computation.
In practical scenarios, such as finance, converting percentages to decimals is critical for operations like finding the percentage of a total amount. For instance, if you want to find out what 0.08% of $1,000 is, you would first convert 0.08% to 0.0008 and then multiply it by 1,000:
[
0.0008 \times 1000 = 0.8
]
Thus, understanding how to convert percentages to decimals ensures accurate calculations in various real-life applications.