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percentage

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Percentage is a measure of a portion in relation to a whole, often expressed in relation to how many of something there are per 100.

(noun)

When a group has half girls and half boys, this is an example of a situation where the percentage of boys in the group is equal to 50 percent.

See percentage in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a given part or amount in every hundred
any number or amount, as of interest, tax, etc., stated in percent
part; portion; share: a percentage of the audience
☆ Informal
1. use; advantage; profit: no percentage in worrying
2. a risk based on favorable odds

See percentage in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. A fraction or ratio with 100 understood as the denominator; for example, 0.98 equals a percentage of 98.
b. The result obtained by multiplying a quantity by a percent.
A proportion or share in relation to a whole; a part: The hecklers constituted only a small percentage of the audience.
An amount, such as an allowance, duty, or commission, that varies in proportion to a larger sum, such as total sales: work for a percentage.
Informal Advantage; gain: There is no percentage in work without pay.

Usage Note: When preceded by the, percentage takes a singular verb: The percentage of unskilled workers is small. When preceded by a, it takes either a singular or plural verb, depending on the number of the noun in the prepositional phrase that follows: A small percentage of the workers are unskilled. A large percentage of the crop has spoiled.

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