Percentages and Decimals

A percentage is a number of hundredths, so it can also be written as a decimal. In NSW Year 7 maths (NESA outcome MA4‑FRC‑C‑01) you convert in both directions by moving the decimal point two places.

You will turn 0.253 into 25.3% and 61.3% into 0.613, handle fractional percentages such as \(2\frac{1}{2}\% = 0.025\), and fill empty places with zeros. You will then order mixed lists such as 0.4, 38%, 0.045 and 4.2%, and avoid the trap of thinking 0.5% equals 0.5. Interest rates, test results and sports statistics use both forms. This subtopic is part of Year 7 Percentages.