3 is 15% of what number

3 is 15% of what number?
A 15
B 20
C 27
D 36
E 45

The Correct Answer and Explanation is :

The correct answer is: B 20

To find out what number 3 is 15% of, we can set up the equation based on the definition of percentage. The equation can be expressed as:

[
3 = 0.15 \times X
]

Here, (X) is the number we want to find. To solve for (X), we can rearrange the equation:

[
X = \frac{3}{0.15}
]

Now, we can perform the division:

[
X = \frac{3}{0.15} = 20
]

So, 3 is 15% of 20. The correct answer from the options provided is B 20.

Explanation:

Percentages are a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100. The term “percent” comes from the Latin phrase “per centum,” which means “by the hundred.” To convert a percentage to a decimal, we divide it by 100. In this case, 15% becomes 0.15.

In this context, we are looking to find the total value (let’s call it (X)) such that 15% of (X) equals 3. When we set up the equation (3 = 0.15 \times X), we are essentially saying that if we take 15% of some number (X), we should get 3.

To isolate (X), we rearranged the equation by dividing both sides by 0.15, which simplifies our calculations. This division shows us how much 100% (the whole number (X)) would be based on the 15% that gives us the value of 3.

By calculating (X) to be 20, we understand that if you take 15% of 20, you will arrive back at 3, confirming that our calculations were correct. Hence, the answer is 20. This method can be applied to any percentage problem by using the same formula.