Final answer:
Percentages have three basic uses: describing part-whole relationships, expressing proportions, and measuring change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three basic uses of percentages are:
- Describing Part-Whole Relationships: For example, if 80% of adults own an automobile nationally, you can say that 80 out of 100 adults own a car.
- Expressing Proportions: For example, if you draw a sample of 100 adults in your community and find that 75% own cars, you can say that 75 out of 100 adults own a car in your community.
- Measuring Change: For example, if the percentage of positive students increased from 20% to 24%, you can say that there was a 4% increase in the proportion of positive students.