Quick answer: To find X% of a number, divide X by 100 and multiply by the number: 15% of 200 = 15 ÷ 100 × 200 = 30.
How it's calculated
A percentage is a number of hundredths, so 15% means 15 ÷ 100 = 0.15. X% of Y is therefore X ÷ 100 × Y. For a 5% raise on a salary of 8,500, the raise is 5 ÷ 100 × 8,500 = 425.
The order doesn't matter: X% of Y is always the same as Y% of X. 8% of 50 is awkward, but 50% of 8 is clearly 4, and both are 4.
Percentages above 100 work the same way: 150% of 80 = 1.5 × 80 = 120. You can type decimals (12.5%), Arabic-Indic digits and negative numbers. The result is calculated exactly and shown to up to 4 decimal places.
Other percentage questions have their own calculators: to find what share one number is of another, use the what percent calculator; for a rise or fall between two values, the percentage change calculator; and for a sale price, the discount calculator. VAT is a percentage too, but removing it from a total is not the same as taking 15% off, so use the Saudi VAT calculator for that.
Worked examples
- 15% of 200: 15 ÷ 100 × 200 = 30
- A 5% raise on a salary of 8,500 SAR: 5 ÷ 100 × 8,500 = 425 SAR
- A 10% service charge on a bill of 345 AED: 10 ÷ 100 × 345 = 34.5 AED
Quick shortcuts
Some percentages are easy to do in your head. Here they are applied to 8,500:
| Percentage | Shortcut | Of 8,500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | Divide by 100 | 85 |
| 5% | Half of 10% | 425 |
| 10% | Divide by 10 | 850 |
| 25% | Divide by 4 | 2,125 |
| 50% | Divide by 2 | 4,250 |
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a percentage of a number?
Divide the percentage by 100 and multiply by the number. For 15% of 200: 15 ÷ 100 × 200 = 30.
What is 20% of 150?
20 ÷ 100 × 150 = 30.
Is X% of Y the same as Y% of X?
Yes, always, because both equal X × Y ÷ 100. So 8% of 50 = 50% of 8 = 4.
Can a percentage be more than 100%?
Yes. 150% of 80 is 1.5 × 80 = 120: more than the number itself.
How do I add VAT with a percentage?
15% of a price is the VAT on it, so 15% of 1,000 = 150 and the total is 1,150. To take VAT out of a total, don't subtract 15%: use the Saudi VAT calculator or the UAE VAT calculator.
Can I type Arabic digits or decimals?
Yes. Arabic-Indic digits (١٢٣), the Arabic decimal sign and up to 6 decimal places all work, and so do negative numbers.
Are my numbers stored?
No, they stay in your browser. Nothing is sent to us, and none of your numbers end up in the link if you share the page.