What Are Percentages?

Warmup

How close can your guess be?

• Drag point P to fill the bar to the target(given) percentage.
• Drag point Q to fill the circle to the target percentage.
• When you are satisfied, click on the SUMBIT button,

Activity #1

Visual representation of a Percentage.

In the applet below, the default number whose percentage is dispalyed is 600, and the percentage is 50.

• Check the Answer box to see what is 50 percent of 600. ​
• Confirm that the colored rectangle displays the percentage. ​
• Move the Percentage slider back and forth and observe that the answer changes depending on the instantaneous percentage value. The result is also reflected on the rectangle. ​
• Change the Amount and play around with the Percentage slider as you observe the changes in the rectangle.

Activity #2

Find the value of the Whole.

In this game, you and an opponent take turns rolling a random percent (between 5 and 25). 

• Start by clicking on “Roll Em”. The player with the lower percent takes their percentage first.
• Then click on “show percentage calculation?”
• The other player takes their percentage.
• Then click on “show percentage calculations? (If the percentages are a tie, the player with the lower total takes first.) ​
• Keep going till someone wins! You can play this game with dice and paper by rolling 4 dice to find your percentages and following these rules. Have fun!

Activity #3

Define Percentage in Terms of US Coins.

• After identifying the US coins below, use the two bars to answer the questions that follow.

The value of a quarter is 25% of the value of a dollar because there are 25 cents for every 100 cents.

Write the name of the coin that matches each expression below.

(1.) 25% of a dollar.

(2.) 5% of a dollar.

(3.) 1% of a dollar.

(4.) 100% of a dollar.

(5.) 10% of a dollar.

(6.) 50% of a dollar.

(7.) The value of 6 dimes is what percent of the value of a dollar?

(8.) The value of 6 quarters is what percent of the value of a dollar?

(9.) Find two different sets of coins that each make 120% of a dollar, where no type of coin is in both sets.

Challenge #1

Challenge #2

3 tacos cost $18. Complete the table to show the cost of 4, 5, and 6 tacos at the same rate.

If you buy t tacos for c  dollars, what is the unit rate?

Challenge #3