Introduction
Have you ever seen a 5% discount in a shop or needed to calculate a 15% tip? All percentage calculations, no matter how complex, are built on one simple, core skill: finding 1 percent.
The word "percent" literally means "per hundred." So, 1% is simply one part out of one hundred.
Once you know how to find 1% of a number, you can easily find any other percentage.
- To find 5%, you just find 1% and multiply it by 5.
- To find 20%, you find 1% and multiply it by 20.
- To find 72%, you find 1% and multiply it by 72.
This guide will show you the one simple trick to find 1% of any number instantly.
The Key Method: Finding 1%
Because 1% means "one out of one hundred" (£1/100£), finding 1% of a number is the same as dividing that number by 100.
The fastest way to divide any number by 100 is to move the decimal point two places to the left.
That's the entire trick.
Worked Example 1: A simple number
Find 1% of 300.
- The number is 300. The decimal point is at the end:
300. - Move the decimal two places to the left:
3.00 - Answer: 1% of 300 is 3.
Worked Example 2: A number with no zeros
Find 1% of 189.
- The number is 189. The decimal point is at the end:
189. - Move the decimal two places to the left:
1.89 - Answer: 1% of 189 is 1.89.
Worked Example 3: A number that already has a decimal
Find 1% of 84.5.
- The number is
84.5. - Move the decimal two places to the left:
0.845 - Answer: 1% of 84.5 is 0.845.
Worked Example 4: A very small decimal number
Find 1% of 0.7.
- The number is
0.7. - Move the decimal two places to the left. We need to add zeros for the empty spaces:
0.007 - Answer: 1% of 0.7 is 0.007.
Practice Questions & Solutions
Solution
To find 1% of 500, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
500. becomes 5.00
Answer: 5
Solution
To find 1% of 900, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
900. becomes 9.00
Answer: 9
Solution
o find 1% of 250, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
250. becomes 2.50
Answer: 2.5
Solution
To find 1% of 476, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
476. becomes 4.76
Answer: 4.76
Solution
To find 1% of 81, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
81. becomes 0.81
Answer: 0.81
6A t-shirt costs £40. How much is 1% of its price?
Solution
To find 1% of £40, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
40. becomes 0.40
Answer: £0.40 (or 40p)
Solution
To find 1% of 15,200, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
15200. becomes 152.00
Answer: 152
Solution
To find 1% of 70.5, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
70.5 becomes 0.705
Answer: 0.705
Solution
To find 1% of 1.25, we move the decimal point two places to the left.
1.25 becomes 0.0125
Answer: 0.0125
10A bank offers a 1% annual interest rate. If you deposit £5.50, how much interest would you earn in a year?
Solution
We need to find 1% of 5.50. We move the decimal point two places to the left.
5.50 becomes 0.0550
Answer: £0.055
72, how much was invested in each mutual fund?