How to Calculate the Percentage of Marks? Best Tips for 2025

We can use the formula to calculate the percentage easily and quickly. The formula to calculate percentage is equal to the ratio of the actual value to the total value multiplied by 100. The percentage formula is:

To calculate the percentage of marks, divide the total marks obtained by the maximum marks and multiply the result by 100.

Two simple steps give you the percentage of marks. They are:

Step 1: Divide the obtained marks by the maxim marks of the test.

Step 2: Multiply the result by 100.

Here's the formula to calculate percentage of marks and an example for you to understand better:

Formula: Percentage = (Marks obtained / Maximum marks) * 100

Go through the example given below to understand the process of finding the percentage of marks.

Example: Calculate the percentage of marks for 6 subjects:

• English - 78

• History - 90

• Geography - 85

• Economics - 79

• Political Science - 88

• Sociology - 75

Solution:

• Total marks scored: 78 + 90 + 85 + 79 + 88 + 75 = 495

• Maximum marks: 600

• Percentage: (495/600) x 100 = 82.5%

A fraction, like 1 out of 4, expresses a portion of a total, whereas a percentage is like expressing a number out of 100.

When describing a fraction, the bottom number, or denominator, represents the total amount being discussed. But in a percentage, 100 represents the complete amount and you are describing a piece of it. It is comparable to using different ways to describe distinct portions of a whole, where the denominator represents the entire thing in fractions and 100 is the full thing in percentages.

Converting fractions to percentages can be done by employing a simple two-step method:

• Convert the fraction to a decimal: Divide the numerator (top number) by the denominator (bottom number). This will give you a decimal number.

• Multiply the decimal by 100 and add a percent sign:  Since a percent represents "out of one hundred," multiply the decimal you obtained in step 1 by 100. This moves the decimal two places to the right. Add the percent sign (%) to your answer.

For example, let's convert the fraction 1/2 to a percentage:

• Divide 1 (numerator) by 2 (denominator): 1 / 2 = 0.5

• Multiply 0.5 by 100 and add the percent sign: 0.5 * 100 = 50%

• Therefore, 1/2 is equal to 50%.

There are two ways to compute percentages for a given number. 

• The fraction form is the first technique. If you are given a number in fractional form, multiply the result by 100 after converting it to decimal form.

For instance, if the fraction is 30/50, the result will be 0.6; multiplying by 100, the result will be 60%.

• The decimal method is the second strategy. If you have a number calculated using the decimal technique, you can multiply it by 100 to get the percentage directly.

For instance, if the decimal number is 0.75436, the result is (0.754 x 100) = 75.4%.

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The percentage change in the value indicates the percentage increase in the original number when the new value exceeds the original value. This can be computed as:

Here,

The percentage change in the value indicates the percentage decrease in the original number when the new value is smaller than the original value. The following is the formula for percentage decrease:

Here,

A further variation in a percentage is known as the percentage error. This type of error usually occurs when working with weights.

For practice purposes, try to solve some of the questions below.

• In her first exam, Catherine received 85 out of 120. In the next exam, if her goal is to get 90% overall, how many marks will she need to score?

• A toy was now 30% more expensive, at Rs. 120. What was the purchase price originally?

• Three subjects totaled 93, 87, and 95 marks out of 100 for a student. Compute the average percentage.

• Calculate the fraction 7/18 to a percentage.

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Some shortcuts to convert numbers and marks into percentages are:

• If you want to search for 50 percent of a number, you can divide the number by two. For example, 50% of 30 is 30/2 = 15.

• To find 10% of a number, you can divide the number by 10 or move the decimal one point to the left.

• Suppose you want to calculate a percentage more than 100, like 150% of 50, then the answer is (150/100) 50, which is 75.

• To calculate 25% of a number, simply divide that number by 4.

Find out some additional tips to remember when calculating percentages below.

Understanding how to calculate percentage of marks is crucial for students in the academic level. It will help you across many areas - whether you’re preparing your documents for some government work or applying to a foreign university. Calculating percentages can be helpful in school grades and college grades. It helps you demonstrate your academic achievements in a more refined manner.

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