Finding 10 percent

Quick answer

Finding 10 percent of a number is the same as dividing that number by 10. You can do this by moving the decimal point one place to the left or by using place value to find one-tenth of the number.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to find 10 percent of any number by dividing it by 10 or by moving the decimal point one place to the left.

Success signs:

• You can quickly say what 10 percent of 50 is.
• You can find 10 percent of any number using division by 10.
• You can move the decimal point one place to the left to find 10 percent.
• You can use 10 percent to help solve bigger maths problems.

Why this matters

Knowing how to find 10 percent is useful in many situations. When you go shopping, you might want to know how much a 10 percent discount saves you. When you're splitting a pizza with friends, you can find 10 percent of the slices to share fairly. When you're saving money, you can calculate 10 percent of your pocket money to set aside. Learning this skill helps you understand bigger percentages like 20 percent or 50 percent later.

How it works

Finding 10 percent means finding one-tenth of a number. You can do this in two ways:

1. Divide the number by 10
2. Move the decimal point one place to the left

Let's look at how these methods work.

Examples you can see

Let's start with simple examples that you can imagine or draw.

Example 1: 10 percent of 20

Think of 20 objects – maybe 20 marbles or 20 coins. If you split them into 10 equal groups, each group has 2 objects. So, 10 percent of 20 is 2.

You can also find this by dividing: 20 ÷ 10 = 2

Or by moving the decimal point: 20.0 becomes 2.0

Example 2: 10 percent of 150

Imagine 150 sweets. If you share them equally among 10 friends, each friend gets 15 sweets. So, 10 percent of 150 is 15.

Using division: 150 ÷ 10 = 15

Using decimal point: 150.0 becomes 15.0

Example 3: 10 percent of 7

Seven is a small number. If you split 7 into 10 equal parts, each part is 0.7. So, 10 percent of 7 is 0.7.

Using division: 7 ÷ 10 = 0.7

Using decimal point: 7.0 becomes 0.7

Try it as a mini adventure

Let's go on a treasure hunt! You are looking for a hidden treasure in a garden. The treasure map says:

1. Start at the big oak tree
2. Walk 100 steps forward
3. Turn left and walk 10 percent of 100 steps
4. Turn right and walk 10 percent of 200 steps
5. Find the treasure!

How many steps do you walk in total?

Let's work it out:

1. Start at the big oak tree
2. Walk 100 steps forward
3. Turn left and walk 10 percent of 100 steps = 100 ÷ 10 = 10 steps
4. Turn right and walk 10 percent of 200 steps = 200 ÷ 10 = 20 steps
5. Find the treasure!

Total steps: 100 + 10 + 20 = 130 steps

Common mistakes

• Mistake: Thinking that 10 percent of 250 is 2500
• Why it happens: Confusing multiplication by 10 with division by 10
• Fix: Remember that 10 percent means one-tenth, so divide by 10, not multiply

• Mistake: Moving the decimal point the wrong way
• Why it happens: Not knowing which direction to move the decimal point
• Fix: To find 10 percent, move the decimal point one place to the left

• Mistake: Forgetting to add a decimal point when working with whole numbers
• Why it happens: Not remembering that whole numbers have an invisible decimal point at the end
• Fix: Add a decimal point and zeros when needed: 25 = 25.0

Parent and carer guide

Help your child practice finding 10 percent by:

1. Using everyday situations like shopping or splitting food
2. Practising with simple numbers first, then moving to bigger numbers
3. Reinforcing that 10 percent means dividing by 10
4. Using visual aids like drawing groups or using counters
5. Encouraging them to check their answer by multiplying back

Remember: Don't worry if they make mistakes – they're learning! Try to keep the practice fun and not like a test.

Practice questions

1. What is 10 percent of 30?
2. What is 10 percent of 80?
3. What is 10 percent of 120?
4. What is 10 percent of 45?
5. What is 10 percent of 9?
6. What is 10 percent of 1000?
7. What is 10 percent of 250?
8. What is 10 percent of 75?
9. What is 10 percent of 15?
10. What is 10 percent of 60?

Answers:

1. 3
2. 8
3. 12
4. 4.5
5. 0.9
6. 100
7. 25
8. 7.5
9. 1.5
10. 6

FAQ

What does 10 percent mean?

10 percent means 10 out of 100, or one-tenth. It's the same as dividing by 10.

How do I find 10 percent of any number?

You can find 10 percent by dividing the number by 10, or by moving the decimal point one place to the left.

Why is 10 percent useful?

10 percent is useful for calculating discounts, sharing items fairly, saving money, and understanding bigger percentages.

Can I use 10 percent to find other percentages?

Yes! Once you know 10 percent, you can find 20 percent by doubling it, 30 percent by tripling it, and so on.

What if the number is a decimal?

You still divide by 10 or move the decimal point one place to the left. For example, 10 percent of 3.6 is 0.36.