Introduction to Calculate Percentages in Google Sheets

Calculating percentages is an important skill that can be used every day.

A percentage represents a portion of a whole number or amount.

In this lesson, you will use percentages to help track the total cost of purchases for a particular activity, event, or other purpose.

Calculating percentages on your purchases allows you to more precisely calculate what your items will cost, including discounts and taxes, before you buy them.

The example in this lesson uses a school-sponsored event, but you can calculate percentages for any purchase you’d like, such as school or household supplies.

Or, you can use this lesson to practice finding percentages for something else, such as grades or sports statistics.

As you complete this lesson, you will: Set up your calculations spreadsheet...

Add item details to your spreadsheet...

Calculate discounts and taxes using percentages...

And calculate your total costs.

This lesson uses Google Sheets, but you could apply these skills and concepts in most spreadsheet applications, or with a calculator and pencil and paper.

To work on this lesson, sign in to your Google account.

Open a new tab in your browser, and navigate to google.com If you are not signed in, do so now.

If you do not have a Google account, pause the video and create one now.

To begin, open your Google Drive.

Create a new Google spreadsheet...

and rename it.