Question

Write each decimal number as a percent. $$0.028$$

Short answer

Question: Convert the decimal number 0.028 to a percentage. Answer: 2.8%

Step-by-step solution

Multiply the decimal by 100

To convert the decimal to a percentage, multiply 0.028 by 100: $$0.028 \times 100 = 2.8$$

Add the percentage symbol

Add the percentage symbol (%) to the result from step 1: $$2.8\%$$ So, the decimal number \(0.028\) can be written as \(2.8\%\).

Key concepts

Percentage Conversion

Converting decimal numbers to percentages is a fundamental concept in mathematics and everyday life, especially when dealing with proportions and comparisons. The process is straightforward and involves two simple steps. First, you multiply the decimal by 100. This step shifts the decimal point two places to the right, essentially converting the decimal into a whole number or a number with a fractional part. After multiplying, you're left with a value that represents how many parts out of 100, which is the essence of a percentage. In the second step, you simply affix the percentage symbol (%), which completes the conversion process. Therefore, converting 0.028 to a percent involves multiplying it by 100, resulting in 2.8, and then adding the percentage symbol to express the final answer as 2.8%.

Decimal Numbers

Understanding decimal numbers is crucial for percentage conversion and many other mathematical operations. A decimal number is a way to represent fractions or numbers that are not whole using the base 10 system. It consists of a whole number part, a decimal point, and a fractional part. The position of each digit after the decimal point represents a specific value, tenths, hundredths, thousandths, and so on, decreasing by a factor of ten with each succeeding place value. When you're converting a decimal like 0.028 to a percentage, you're essentially moving the decimal point two places to the right to create a whole number or a number that's easier to understand visually and conceptually in terms of 'parts out of 100'.

Mathematical Operations

Mathematical operations are the building blocks for solving a wide array of problems, including the conversion of decimals to percentages. Multiplication, in particular, is used in this conversion process. Multiplying by 100 is the quintessential operation because it adapts the decimal number to the percentage format, which reflects parts per hundred. Due to the decimal system being base 10, each move of the decimal point to the right increases the number by a power of ten, making it an operation that's easy to carry out even without a calculator. This concept underlies many types of problems and is a tool you will use frequently in mathematics, finance, statistics, and more.