What is 87.5 percent of 21 - step by step solution

To get the solution, we are looking for, we need to point out what we know.

1. We assume, that the number 21 is 100% - because it's the output value of the task.
2. We assume, that x is the value we are looking for.
3. If 21 is 100%, so we can write it down as 21=100%.
4. We know, that x is 87.5% of the output value, so we can write it down as x=87.5%.
5. Now we have two simple equations:
1) 21=100%
2) x=87.5%
where left sides of both of them have the same units, and both right sides have the same units, so we can do something like that:
21/x=100%/87.5%
6. Now we just have to solve the simple equation, and we will get the solution we are looking for.

7. Solution for what is 87.5% of 21

21/x=100/87.5
(21/x)*x=(100/87.5)*x       - we multiply both sides of the equation by x
21=1.1428571428571*x       - we divide both sides of the equation by (1.1428571428571) to get x
21/1.1428571428571=x
18.375=x
x=18.375

now we have:
87.5% of 21=18.375