Aiden needs to find the percent of shaded squares in the bar diagram. Which model should he use?

A grid model with 20 squares. 16 squares are shaded.

A grid model with 100 squares. 16 squares are shaded.
A grid model with 100 squares. 60 squares are shaded.
A grid model with 100 squares. 80 squares are shaded.
A grid model with 100 squares. 96 squares are shaded.

1 answer

To find the percent of shaded squares in the bar diagram, we can use the grid model with 100 squares because it simplifies the process of calculating percentages. Here's why:

  1. Percent Calculation: Percentages are out of 100, so using a model with 100 squares makes it straightforward to determine the percentage directly based on the number of shaded squares.

  2. Example with 100 Squares: If Aiden uses a grid model with 100 squares and 16 of them are shaded, he can easily see that the percentage of shaded squares is \( (16 , \text{shaded} / 100 , \text{total}) \times 100 = 16% \).

Using a grid model with 100 squares allows for a direct application of the percent formula, making this model the most convenient for Aiden's needs.

If he were to use a model with 20 squares, he would need to multiply the result by 5 to find the percentage, which is a bit more complex.

Thus, Aiden should choose "A grid model with 100 squares. 16 squares are shaded." to find the percent of shaded squares efficiently.