A percentage is a way to express a number as a fraction of 100. It helps us understand how much of something there is compared to a whole. For example, if you have 25 out of 100 apples, you can say you have 25% of the apples. This makes it easier to compare different amounts, like when you want to know what portion of your class passed a test. Percentages are commonly used in everyday life, such as when shopping for discounts. If a store offers a 20% discount on a $50 item, you can calculate that you save $10, making the final price $40.