Which expression can be used to find 15% of 20?
To find the value representing 15% of 20, we first express the percentage as a decimal. A percentage, by definition, is a ratio out of 100. Thus, \(15\%\) is equivalent to \(\frac{15}{100}\). Performing this division, we get \(15 \div 100 = 0.15\).
To calculate a percentage of a given number, we multiply the decimal equivalent of the percentage by that number. In this case, we want to find 15% of 20, which is equivalent to finding 0.15 of 20. This is represented by the mathematical operation \(0.15 \times 20\).
Comparing our derived expression, \(0.15 \times 20\), with the given options, we see that it matches the second choice. The expression \(0.15 \times 20\) correctly calculates 15% of 20. The other options involve different powers of 10 or different multipliers, which would lead to incorrect values (e.g., \(1.5 \times 20 = 30\) and \(15 \times 20 = 300\)). Therefore, the correct expression is \(\boxed{0.15 \times 20}\).
Percentages are used in everyday life, such as when calculating discounts on items during a sale. If a store offers a 15% discount on a \(\$20\) item, you can calculate the discount amount by multiplying the original price by 0.15: \(\$20 \times 0.15 = \$3\). This helps you quickly determine how much you will save on your purchase.