If you struggle with math, the idea of calculating percentages will probably send you into a mild panic. However, thanks to the wisdom of self-confessed “maths whizz” Ben Stephens, it might be easier than you think. Stephens recently tweeted a mind-blowing math trick on how to calculate percentages in your head. His surprisingly simple solution has now gone viral and left a lot of people wondering why it wasn’t taught at school.
So what’s the secret formula? It’s simple: x% of y = y% of x. Stephens explains, “So, for example, if you needed to work out 4% of 75 in your head, just flip it and and do 75% of 4, which is easier.” If you haven’t already worked it out, the answer is 3, and the easy trick can be applied to any set of numbers. “18% of 50 feels hard to calculate,” Stephens tweeted. “But 50% of 18 is a doddle, right?” You got it—9!
Most people on Twitter reacted gratefully to Stephens’ revealing method, and some even asked if he could tutor them. “I am neither a math guy nor a teacher,” he writes. “I just learned this and thought it was cool, so I decided to share it on Twitter, and it seems to have become one of my most popular tweets ever.”
Try this new method out for yourself and see more from Stephens’ mental math conversions on Twitter.
If you struggle with how to calculate percentages, this trick revealed by “maths whizz” Ben Stephens might help.
Fascinating little life hack, for doing percentages:
x% of y = y% of x
So, for example, if you needed to work out 4% of 75 in your head, just flip it and and do 75% of 4, which is easier.
— Ben Stephens (@stephens_ben) March 3, 2019
His surprisingly simple solution has now gone viral and left a lot of people wondering why it wasn’t taught at school.
This sounds like something everyone should ideally have known in high school but I’m today years old when I realized I can’t think in even basic math
— Sandhya Ramesh (@sandygrains) March 5, 2019
GGGAAAHHHHHHHHH EVERY TEACHER I EVER HAS FAILED ME, AND I DON'T MEAN MY GRADES
— The Power Principle (back in production) (@NewMutant) March 5, 2019
My calculator just blew up
— Nigel Daniel (@Nobbydaniel8) March 11, 2019
Whoa…I teach Maths at primary level and had never realised this.
50% blown away/50% going DOH! pic.twitter.com/4yhxgFSgDq— Magical Maths Notts (@MathsNotts) March 6, 2019
Have a degree in Applied Mathematics and never knew that. 🤔
— Kamal DJAIDAOUI 🇫🇷🇬🇧🇮🇩🇩🇿 (@DjaidaouiKamal) March 8, 2019
The whole world needs to know this. https://t.co/lzMkfxerf0
— Nick Harvey (@mrnickharvey) March 11, 2019
What else you got? Will you be my maths teacher? Do you do physics?
— Miss. Mugadza (@queenjazzheart) March 5, 2019
Ben Stephens: Website | Twitter
h/t [IFL Science!]
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