Question

What is 3.5% of 500?

Answer 1

`17.5`

Explanation:

Move the decimal place of 3.5 two times to the left because it's a percent.

`3.5%=.035`

Now multiply `.035` to 500.

`.035*500=17.5`

Answer 2

17.5

Explanation:

The symbol % is like a unit of measurement that is worth `1/100`

So `3.5%" "->" "3.5xx1/100 = 3.5/100`

The use of the word 'of' is interpreted as multiply

Like in 2 of apples `=2xx` apples = apples + apples

So 3.5% of 5000 is the same as:

`3.5/100xx500`
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
`color(brown)("Explaining in detail a quick mental calculation method")`
`color(brown)("Doing it in the mind is much faster than writing it")`
`color(brown)("as you jump steps.")`

However, 500 is the same as `5xx100` so we can write this as:

`3.5xx1/100xx5xx100`

`3.5xx5xx1/100xx100`

`3.5xx5xx100/100`

`3.5xx5xx1`

`3.5xx5`

`3.5xx10/2" "=" "35/2=17.5`