Question

What is \[85\% \] of 500?

Answer 1

Hint: The given question requires us to find a specific percentage of a given number. To solve this problem, we need to know how to write a number in percentage. We can solve this problem by two methods. We can solve either by normal method or by finding the percentage of the whole number. Such questions require accuracy in arithmetic.

Complete step-by-step solutions:
Let’s consider the given problem. We have to find \[85\% \] of \[500\].
So, let \[85\% \] of \[500\] be x.
Then, \[x = 20\% \] of \[500\].
Then, \[x = \dfrac{{85}}{{100}} \times 500\].
So, cancelling the common factors in numerator and denominator, we get,
\[x = \dfrac{{85}}{{10}} \times 50\]
\[x = 85 \times 5\]
Simplifying the calculations further, we get,
\[ \Rightarrow x = 425\]
So, \[85\% \] of 500 is 425.
This is our required answer to the given problem.

Thus the correct answer is 425.

Additional information:
We can also solve this by using simple conversion.
That is,
We consider \[100\% \] is 500.
That is \[100\% \to 500\].
Then \[10\% \to 50\].
We need \[80\% \] of 500 then,
\[8 \times 10\% \to 50 \times 8\]
\[80\% \to 400\].
But we need \[85\% \], then from \[10\% \to 50\] then \[5\% \to 25\], that is half of \[10\% \].
Then adding \[5\% \] and \[80\% \] we have,
\[85\% \to 425\]
So, \[85\% \] of 500 is 425.


Note: Though we have a number of methods to solve this problem, it is better to workout with the above-mentioned method and after solving a number of problems in this model, one can consider the method involving the unitary method. Solving problems by the unitary method needs better understanding in the concept of percentage. While solving such a problem using a unitary method, we consider the given number as \[100\% \] of itself and then then find out the desired percentage of the number. Work as many problems as possible to crack these types of problems in a limited time period.