Percent Proportions - The Complete Unit:After teaching students how to solve percentage problems for many years, I have come to the conclusion that using proportions is the best way to do so. There are no decimal shifts (as there are when students use the percent equation, p = % • w) to cause errors, the amount of memorization is minimal (the percent proportion equation, part/whole = %/100, is all that is needed), and the problems can be solved simply using three easy-to-learn methods. Students