Percentage: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to denote a comparative ratio in terms of a whole divided into 100 parts.

• There was a 10% increase in sales this year.
• The survey showed that 30% of people prefer online shopping.

Refers to the comparative relationship between parts of a whole, used in a variety of contexts such as mathematics, statistics, and everyday language.

• The proportion of students to teachers is 20:1.
• A large proportion of the budget goes to education.

Used in mathematics to describe a part of a whole using two numbers, or to describe a small part or segment of something.

• He ate 1/4 of the pizza.
• Only a tiny fraction of the population is wealthy.

Used to describe a quantitative relationship between two numbers, often in mathematics, science, and business.

• The ratio of water to flour in the recipe is 2:1.
• The debt-to-equity ratio of the company is 3:1.

Use 'percentage' when referring to a part of a whole expressed as a fraction of 100. It's common in financial, statistical, and data analysis contexts.

• The percentage of sales increased by 10% last quarter.
• Only a small percentage of people agree with that statement.

Use 'portion' when referring to a part of something, particularly when thinking about parts of a whole item. It's common when discussing physical items, food, or sections of documents.

• He ate a large portion of the cake.
• Please read the first portion of the report.

Use 'share' when referring to a part allocated to someone or something. It is frequently used in discussions about division of resources, investments, or responsibilities.

• Everyone got an equal share of the profits.
• She has a 5% share in the company.

Use 'proportion' when comparing the size or amount of one thing to another. It often refers to the relationship between parts and a whole and is common in mathematical and descriptive contexts.

• The proportion of women in the company has increased.
• The artist maintained the correct proportions in the drawing.