Final answer:
To find the original number when 120% of it is 45, divide 45 by 1.20, resulting in the number being 37.5.
Step-by-step explanation:
When solving the problem of finding a number when 120% of it is given, you can set up an equation to represent this relationship. If 120% of a number is 45, you want to determine what 100% of that number is, which means finding the original number.
Step-by-step Solution
- First, understand that percent (%) means parts per hundred.
- Express 120% as a decimal by dividing by 100, which gives you 1.20.
- Set up the equation: 1.20 × (the number) = 45.
- To find the number, divide both sides of the equation by 1.20, which yields (the number) = 45 / 1.20.
- Perform the division to find the number.
The number is therefore 45 divided by 1.20, which is 37.5.