If 120 is 15 percent of something how do you find the total?

= 120/0.15
= 800

Answer: 800

Checking:
= 800 * 15%
= 800 * 15/100
= 800 * 3/20
= (800/20) * 3/(20/20)
= 40 * 3
= 120

The way I would start solving this problem is by dividing both 120 and 15 by 3 and getting 40 and 5.
That means that 40 is 5% of something.
Then I would multiply both by 20 making it 800 and 100%.
800 would then be your answer.

So, 120 is 15 percent of what number? Check out my Math Variety blog posts on how to solve percentage problems like this. You’ll find a step-by-step method on how to do these problems, practice problems, and solutions. Click on ads/links of interest.
http://mathvariety.blogspot.com/2009/04/percentage-problems.html
http://mathvariety.blogspot.com/2009/05/percentage-problems-practice-problems.html
http://mathvariety.blogspot.com/2009/05/percentage-problems-solutions-to.html

I also have an eHow article on this topic at http://www.ehow.com/how_4816051_solve-percentage-problems.html if you want to read it.

Start with x/100=is/of. Here, x=15 (percent), is=120 ("120 is"), of=unknown ("of something/of what number"), so:
15/100=120/of

Cross multiply:
15*of=100*120
15*of=12,000
of=800 (answer)

120 ÷ 15%
= 120 ÷ 15/100
= 120 x 100/15
= 12000/15
= 800

120/x=15/100
12000=15x
x=800

15 / 100 = 120 / ? so ?= 120x100/15

how many 15's are in 100?
so, 100 devided by 15

then times the answer by 120

120/15 will give you 1 pecent so multiply that with 100 to find the total

the answer is 800

hope that helps