Why does my child think 5% = 0.5?
Your child converts percentages using 10 instead of 100, such as 5% = 0.5 instead of 0.05.
Why children do it
Moving the decimal point is easy to get wrong by one place, especially with a one-digit percentage, where 5% looks as if it should be 0.5. Per cent means "out of a hundred", so 5% is 5 hundredths: 0.05.
How to help at home
Per cent means "out of a hundred": ask them to say it before converting.
The right way
Write 3/4 as a percentage.
- 3/4 × 100 = 75Multiply the fraction by 100.
- 75%Write it with the % sign.
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