Percent of a percent: What percent is 3% of 5%?
Aptitude
Percentage
Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
Answer
Correct Answer: 0.15%
Explanation
Introduction / Context:Here we multiply two percentages. Remember that a percent is itself a fraction of 100. So “3% of 5%” means 0.03 times 5%, yielding a very small percentage.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- 3% = 0.03.
- 5% = 5 percent (we will keep the percent form in the result).
Concept / Approach:Compute 0.03 * 5% = (0.03 * 5)%. Multiply the numeric parts and retain the percent sign for the final expression.
Step-by-Step Solution:
0.03 * 5 = 0.15.Therefore, 3% of 5% = 0.15%.Verification / Alternative check:Convert both to decimals: 3% of 5% = 0.03 * 0.05 = 0.0015 = 0.15% when expressed back as a percent.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- 15% and 1.5% are 100× and 10× too large, respectively.
- 0.015% is 10× too small.
Common Pitfalls:Treating percent signs as ordinary numbers without converting to decimals first. Always remember that % introduces a factor of 1/100.
Final Answer:0.15%