Percentages tell us how much of a whole piece that we have. It is similar to when your brother or sister cuts a piece of their own birthday cake. The bigger the piece, the greater the percentage of cake that they will eat. I’m sure if you were hungry and cutting your own cake, you would make sure it was a very big piece. Percentages can be used to persuade customers that one choice is better than another. It can also be used to help people make timely and accurate decisions in their daily lives. This directly relates to fractions and decimals, since they are based on the same general concept. If we look at the concept closer, percentages are just fractions that are out of one hundred. For example ten percent is just ten out of one hundred. The great advantage of percentages over fractions is that they help us compare value much quicker. Which of the following sales pitches would be easier for you to understand: "This week twenty-five percent off all shoes!" or "This week only pay seventy-five one-hundredths for shoes!" Okay, that example was a bit out there, but you get the point and can see the value is using percentages.
Make sure to use the lessons in each section to help you understand the topic. Then use the guided lesson to make sure you have the concept. Once you feel comfortable that you have a good understanding, move on to the independent work and even the quizzes. The series of worksheets presents the basic idea of what percentages are. We also explore the relationship between percentages, decimals, and fractions. These relationships are often explored by all middle school students at one time or another.