Percentages KS2
This guide is written for children in Years 3 to 6 (ages 7 to 11) and their parents. We will look at what a percentage is, how to find common percentages like 50%, 25% and 10%, and how percentages show up in real life. No jargon, just clear steps and lots of examples.
What is a percentage?
A percentage is a way of showing a number out of 100. The word "per cent" means "out of one hundred". The symbol for percentage is %.
Imagine you have a bag of exactly 100 sweets. If 25 of them are red, then 25 out of 100 are red. That is 25%. If 50 are green, then 50% are green. Simple!
But percentages do not only work with bags of 100 sweets. They work with any amount. A percentage tells you what share of the total you have.
Good to know
- 100% means the whole thing. For example, 100% of a pizza = the whole pizza.
- 50% means half. 50% of 10 sweets = 5 sweets.
- 25% means one quarter. 25% of 20p = 5p.
- 10% means one tenth. 10% of 30 = 3.
- 1% means one hundredth. 1% of 200 = 2.
How to find common percentages
Finding 50%
50% means half. To find 50% of a number, just divide it by 2.
50% of 60 = 60 ÷ 2 = 30
Finding 25%
25% means one quarter. To find 25%, find 50% first, then halve that answer.
25% of 60: first find 50% = 30, then halve again = 15
Finding 10%
10% means one tenth. To find 10%, divide the number by 10.
10% of 70 = 70 ÷ 10 = 7
Finding 1%
1% means one hundredth. To find 1%, divide the number by 100.
1% of 500 = 500 ÷ 100 = 5
Converting fractions and decimals to percentages
Fractions, decimals, and percentages are three different ways of saying the same thing. Here is how they connect.
Fractions to percentages
To turn a fraction into a percentage, divide the top number by the bottom number, then multiply by 100.
Decimals to percentages
To convert a decimal to a percentage, multiply by 100.
Worked examples
Example 1: Pocket money
Aisha gets £8 pocket money each week. She saves 50% of it. How much does she save?
50% means half.
£8 ÷ 2 = £4
Aisha saves £4.
Example 2: Pizza slices
A pizza is cut into 8 equal slices. Theo eats 2 slices. What percentage did he eat?
Theo ate 2 out of 8 slices.
2 ÷ 8 = 0.25
0.25 × 100 = 25%
Theo ate 25% of the pizza. That is one quarter.
Example 3: Sweets
There are 40 sweets in a bag. 10% are yellow. How many yellow sweets are there?
10% means divide by 10.
40 ÷ 10 = 4
There are 4 yellow sweets.
Example 4: Test score
Mia scores 18 out of 20 in a spelling test. What is her percentage?
Divide her score by the total, then multiply by 100.
18 ÷ 20 = 0.9
0.9 × 100 = 90%
Well done Mia!
Example 5: Convert a fraction
What is 3/4 as a percentage?
Divide the top by the bottom, then multiply by 100.
3 ÷ 4 = 0.75
0.75 × 100 = 75%
Example 6: Spending pocket money
Jake has £20. He spends 25% on a comic and 10% on sweets. How much does he spend in total?
25% of £20: £20 ÷ 4 = £5 (on the comic)
10% of £20: £20 ÷ 10 = £2 (on sweets)
Total spent: £5 + £2 = £7
Try the calculators
Ready to practise?
Have a go at some KS2 practice questions with worked answers.
KS2 Practice Questions