What is 15% of 34?\nCalculate the value of fifteen percent of the number thirty four, expressing your answer as a decimal.

Introduction / Context:
Finding a given percentage of a number is one of the most basic yet frequently tested skills in quantitative aptitude. This question asks you to compute 15% of 34, which is a straightforward application of the percentage formula. Practising such small calculations builds confidence and speed for more complicated problems involving percentages and ratios.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The base number is 34.
• The required percentage is 15% of this number.
• We need the exact decimal value of 15% of 34.
• All calculations are in real numbers and there is no rounding instruction, so we keep the natural decimal result.

Concept / Approach:
The standard formula is: Percentage of a number = (percentage / 100) * number. Here, we must compute (15 / 100) * 34. You can do this either by converting 15% to the decimal 0.15 and multiplying by 34, or by first multiplying 15 * 34 and then dividing by 100. Both methods give the same result when done carefully, so choose whichever you find easier.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Express 15% as a fraction over 100: 15% = 15 / 100. Step 2: Compute 15% of 34 as (15 / 100) * 34. Step 3: Multiply the numerator: 15 * 34 = (15 * 30) + (15 * 4) = 450 + 60 = 510. Step 4: Now divide by 100: 510 / 100 = 5.10. Step 5: 5.10 can be written as 5.1 without changing its value. Step 6: Therefore, 15% of 34 is 5.1.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another approach is to break 15% into 10% and 5%. Ten percent of 34 is 3.4 (since 10% is one tenth). Five percent is half of 10%, so it is 1.7. Adding them: 3.4 + 1.7 = 5.1. This mental breakdown confirms our earlier calculation and is a fast technique useful in exams.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
5: Slightly less than the correct value; this may come from rounding 5.1 down or using approximations instead of exact arithmetic.
5.2: Slightly greater than the correct result; it could come from incorrect multiplication or miswriting 5.1 as 5.2.
4.9: This is even further from the true answer and has no basis in the correct calculation of 15% of 34.
4.5: This corresponds to a smaller percentage than 15% and clearly does not match 510 / 100.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners mistakenly divide 34 by 15 instead of multiplying 34 by 15% or 15 / 100. Others may forget to divide by 100, leaving the numerator 510 as the final answer. Another error is misplacing the decimal point when dividing by 100. To avoid such mistakes, always write the fraction explicitly and carefully move the decimal point two places when dividing by 100.

Final Answer:
15% of 34 is 5.1.