Final answer:
Using the percentage calculation method, 50% of the teachers at the meeting were first-year teachers, as calculated by dividing the number of first-year teachers (49) by the total number of teachers (98) and then multiplying by 100.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out what percentage of the teachers in the meeting were first-year teachers, we need to use the concept of calculating a percentage. We're given that there are 49 first-year teachers out of a total of 98 teachers. To find the percentage, we divide the number of first-year teachers by the total number of teachers and then multiply the result by 100.
So, we calculate the percentage as follows:
(49 first-year teachers ÷ 98 total teachers) × 100 = 50%
Therefore, 50% of the teachers in the meeting were first-year teachers.