How do I print a '%' sign using string formatting?

Question

I’ve made a little script to calculator percent; however, I wish to actually include the % within the message printed…

Tried this at the start – didn’t work…

oFile.write("Percentage: %s%"n" % percent)

I then tried "Percentage: %s"%"n" % percent" which didn’t work.

I’d like the output to be:

Percentage: x%

I keep getting

TypeError: not all arguments converted during string formatting

Asked By: Eric1989

||

Source

Answer 1

To print the % sign you need to ‘escape’ it with another % sign:

percent = 12
print "Percentage: %s %%n" % percent  # Note the double % sign
>>> Percentage: 12 %

EDIT

Nowadays in python3 a better (and more readable) approach is to use f-strings. Note that other solutions (shown below) do work as well:

$python3
>>> percent = 12
>>> print(f'Percentage: {percent}%') # f-string
Percentage: 12%
>>> print('Percentage: {0}%'.format(percent)) # str format method
Percentage: 12%
>>> print('Percentage: %s%%' % percent) # older format, we 'escape' the '%' character
Percentage: 12%

Answered By: El Bert

Answer 2

Or use format() function, which is more elegant.

percent = 12
print "Percentage: {}%".format(percent)

4 years later edit

Now In Python3x print() requires parenthesis.

percent = 12
print ("Percentage: {}%".format(percent))

Answered By: GLHF

Answer 3

The new Python 3 approach is to use format strings.

percent = 12
print("Percentage: {0} %n".format(percent))
>>> Percentage: 12 %

This is also supported in Python > 2.6.

See the docs here: Python 3 and Python 2

Answered By: js837

Answer 4

format() is more elegant but the modulo sign seems to be quicker!

http://inre.dundeemt.com/2016-01-13/string-modulo-vs-format-fight/ – shows that modulo is ~30% faster!

Answered By: Thomas Vetterli

Answer 5

x = 0.25
y = -0.25
print("nOriginal Number: ", x)
print("Formatted Number with percentage: "+"{:.2%}".format(x));
print("Original Number: ", y)
print("Formatted Number with percentage: "+"{:.2%}".format(y));
print()

Sample Output:

Original Number:  0.25                                                                                        
Formatted Number with percentage: 25.00%                                                                      
Original Number:  -0.25                                                                                       
Formatted Number with percentage: -25.00%

Helps in proper formatting of percentage value

+++

Using ascii value of percentage – which is 37

print( '12' + str(chr(37)) )

Answered By: Ram Prajapati

Answer 6

print("Interest Rate (APR): " , format(APR, '.0f'),'%')

Answered By: user15489393

How do I print a '%' sign using string formatting?

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