Final answer:
To find the percentage of students in the Mapleton Middle School band who play a percussion instrument, divide the number of students who play percussion by the total number of students in the band and multiply by 100. In this case, 6 students play percussion out of a total of 41 students. The percentage of students who play a percussion instrument is approximately 14.6%.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the percentage of students in the Mapleton Middle School band who play a percussion instrument, divide the number of students who play percussion by the total number of students in the band and multiply by 100. In this case, 6 students play percussion out of a total of 41 students. So the percentage of students who play a percussion instrument is:
Percentage = (Number of students playing percussion / Total number of students) * 100
= (6 / 41) * 100
= 14.6%
Therefore, approximately 14.6% of students in the band play a percussion instrument.