I need the formula to arrive at the following.
N is 85% of _____ (number)?
Sample:
I receive $145 from you. You tell me that this is my percentage, which we both know is 85% of the total number. You receive 15% of the total number.
What is the total number? What is your 15%? And what is the formula I use to arrive at these numbers? (I need it frequently, and I never remember it. I’m an idiot at math.)
I would be forever in your debt…
There are two basic things to remember (I may be stating the obvious, but I don’t know what level of knowledge to expect from you):
Percent are nothing more than hundredths, i.e.
85% = 85/100 = .85
Taking a percentage of something means taking the percentage times that something, i.e.
85% of $200 = 85/100 of $200 = .85 * $200 = $170
Now for your question: If you know that N = 85% of X, you really know that
N = .85 * X.
Solve this for X, and you get
X = N / .85
Hope that helps. Now your exercise is to do the calculation for your sample figure of $145, for both the 85% and the 15% shares. Do it right here so we can verify. After that, you can go play. 
Oh, and concerning that debt you’re in: It’s exactly 15% of the total…
Divide N by .85.
Or, to do it without dividing by a decimal, multiply N by 20, then divide the product by 17.
Chaim Mattis Keller
ckeller@schicktech.com
“Sherlock Holmes once said that once you have eliminated the
impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be
the answer. I, however, do not like to eliminate the impossible.
The impossible often has a kind of integrity to it that the merely improbable lacks.”
– Douglas Adams’s Dirk Gently, Holistic Detective
Simple algebra.
x = 0.85 * y
therefore
y (total) = x / 0.85
and the rest (15 %) is
y - x
or
y * 0.15
if 85% = 145 then
total = 145 / 0.85 = 170.59 (approx.)
15% = 170.59 - 145 = 25.59
or 15% = 170.59 * 0.15 = 25.59 (approx.)
Jacques Kilchoer
Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains.
Let’s see…N is 85/100 of X, solve for X.
Divide N by 85, multiply the results by 100, you get X.
100N/85=X
Designated Optional Signature at Bottom of Post
The easiest way i ever figured out to do percentages is divide the number by the percentage you know it is so that it equals 1% then multiply by whatever you need. Example: if, as you say, 145 is 85% then divide 145 by 85 to get one percent; then multiply by 15 to get the other part. If you want to know the hundred percent just add them together.
If you start with 100%, just divide it by ten then multiply by whatever percentage you need.
Simple no? Cheques may be made payable to Bigroryg
Sincerely, SDStaff hopeful
*Stoidela: I need the formula to arrive at the following.
N is 85% of _____ (number)?
Sample:
I receive $145 from you. You tell me that this is my percentage, which we both know is 85% of the total number. You receive 15% of the total number.
What is the total number? What is your 15%? And what is the formula I use to arrive at these numbers? (I need it frequently, and I never remember it. I’m an idiot at math.)*
Let X be the total number, and N is your share, the 85%.
85% * X = N
0.85 * X = $145.00
dividing by 0.85
$145.00
X = ---------
0.85
X = 170.59
I would be forever in your debt…
Just e-Mail me your Visa/MC number.
Well, gee, I can’t be in EVERYBODY’s debt.
Since Nickrz answered me first, via e-mail ince the board was not working, I guess my debt is to him.
But I do appreciate the help!
Stoid
No fair, Nickrz! Especially since the rest of us don’t have his e-mail address. Shame on you!
I’d like a chance to have Stoidela indebted to me. So I’ll tell my story of trying to help her.
Someone (Nickrz) posted the answer first to the board but posted the wrong answer. When I tryed to reply and berate him for screwing up Stoidela I found that the board wasn’t working, so I saved my reply and was prepared to post it at my first chance, but now lots of other people have answered and Nickrz incorrect post is nowhere to be found.