In the 500-man survey, what percentage chose Christmas?

In the 500-man survey, what percentage chose Christmas?

• A. 0.45
• B. 0.35
• C. 0.50
• D. 0.40

Answer: (A)

The key idea is understanding how a decimal represents a portion of a total. A decimal like 0.45 means 45 out of 100, i.e., 45 percent. In a survey of 500 people, 0.45 of the total would be 0.45 × 500 = 225 people. So the percentage that chose Christmas is 45%, which corresponds to 0.45 in decimal form. This matches the given option because it represents the same proportion of the 500 respondents. Other decimals would imply different counts (0.35 would be 175 people, 0.50 would be 250, 0.40 would be 200), which would only fit if those counts were observed.

The key idea is understanding how a decimal represents a portion of a total. A decimal like 0.45 means 45 out of 100, i.e., 45 percent. In a survey of 500 people, 0.45 of the total would be 0.45 × 500 = 225 people. So the percentage that chose Christmas is 45%, which corresponds to 0.45 in decimal form. This matches the given option because it represents the same proportion of the 500 respondents. Other decimals would imply different counts (0.35 would be 175 people, 0.50 would be 250, 0.40 would be 200), which would only fit if those counts were observed.