Final answer:
The base number that 15 percent represents as the value of 5 is found by dividing 5 by 0.15, which gives 33.33 (rounded to two decimal places).
Step-by-step explanation:
Finding the Base Number from a Percentage
To determine what number 15 percent represents the value of 5, we follow the concept that 15 percent means 15 divided by 100, or 0.15 in decimal form. When we say '15 percent of what number is 5', we are essentially looking for a base number that when multiplied by 0.15 gives us 5. This can be expressed in an equation form as 0.15 × (base number) = 5.
To solve for the base number, we divide both sides of the equation by 0.15:
Base Number = 5 ÷ 0.15
Base Number = 33.33 (rounded off to two decimal places)
Thus, 15 percent of 33.33 is 5.