How can you use a proportion to solve a percent word problem?
What is the specific problem?
There is no problem, that is the question I have to answer.
To use a proportion to solve a percent word problem, you need to set up an equation and solve for the missing quantity. Here are the steps to do so:
Step 1: Identify the known quantities and the unknown quantity in the problem. For example, let's say we have a word problem where 20% of a group of students are male, and we are asked to find how many students are in the group.
Step 2: Convert the given percentage to decimal form. In this case, 20% is equal to 0.20.
Step 3: Set up a proportion using the known quantities and the unknown quantity. The proportion will have two ratios or fractions that are equal. For example, since we know that 20% of the students are male, and the unknown is the total number of students, we can set up the proportion as follows:
(Number of Male Students) / (Total Number of Students) = 0.20
Step 4: Cross multiply the terms of the proportion. In our example, we have:
(Number of Male Students) = 0.20 * (Total Number of Students)
Step 5: Solve the equation for the unknown quantity. In our example, let's assume the total number of students is represented by the variable "x". So our equation becomes:
(Number of Male Students) = 0.20 * x
Step 6: Simplify and solve for "x". Divide both sides of the equation by 0.20 to isolate "x":
(Number of Male Students) / 0.20 = x
Finally, calculate the value of "x" using your known values. In our example, if we know there are 40 male students, we can substitute that value into the equation:
40 / 0.20 = x
200 = x
Hence, the total number of students in the group is 200.
By following these steps, you can use a proportion to solve percent word problems.