Converting Decimals to Percentages
Percentages, decimals, and fractions are three different ways of writing the same value. Converting a decimal to a percentage is one of the most frequently used skills in everyday maths — from understanding sale discounts to reading statistics.
The Core Rule
To convert a decimal to a percentage: multiply by 100 and attach the % sign.
Equivalently: move the decimal point two places to the right, then add %.
Examples
0.75 times 100 = 75%.
0.3 times 100 = 30%.
0.08 times 100 = 8%. (Moving the point two places right: 0.08 becomes 008 = 8.)
1.4 times 100 = 140%. A decimal greater than 1 gives a percentage greater than 100%.
0.003 times 100 = 0.3%. A very small decimal gives a small percentage — less than 1%.
Moving the Decimal Point
| Decimal | Move Point 2 Right | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 050. | 50% |
| 0.25 | 025. | 25% |
| 0.625 | 062.5 | 62.5% |
| 0.07 | 007. | 7% |
| 2.5 | 250. | 250% |
Full Conversion Table
| Fraction | Decimal | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | 0.5 | 50% |
| 1/4 | 0.25 | 25% |
| 3/4 | 0.75 | 75% |
| 1/5 | 0.2 | 20% |
| 2/5 | 0.4 | 40% |
| 1/8 | 0.125 | 12.5% |
| 1/3 | 0.333... | 33.33% |
| 2/3 | 0.666... | 66.67% |
Real-Life Uses
- A test score of 0.84 = 84%.
- A shop discount of 0.2 = 20% off.
- An annual interest rate quoted as 0.035 = 3.5%.
- A player hits a cricket ball 0.425 of the times they face it = 42.5% success rate.
Key Takeaways
- Multiply the decimal by 100 (or move the point two places right) to get the percentage.
- Decimals greater than 1 give percentages above 100%.
- Tiny decimals give percentages less than 1%.
- The fraction-decimal-percentage triple is worth memorising for the most common values.
Practice Questions
- Write 0.6 as a percentage.
- Write 0.055 as a percentage.
- Write 1.25 as a percentage.
- A student scored 0.92 on a test. What percentage is that?
- A river level rose by 0.035 m. Express this rise as a percentage of 1 metre.
Related Topics
You have now completed the full Decimals learning path. Continue your maths journey with the next section or revisit any earlier topic from the Resources page.