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

@OliverW.: yes but that one's title and wording are very unclear, so this one should be canonical — smci, Feb 08 '18 at 22:22

El Bert · Accepted Answer · 2022-01-16T22:56:17.177

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%

GLHF · Answer 2 · 2018-12-13T06:44:29.693

13

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))

edited Dec 13 '18 at 06:44

answered Feb 05 '15 at 12:35

GLHF

3,835
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score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 05 '15 at 12:35

4

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 Feb 05 '15 at 12:35

js837

133
5

2

Note that no need `0` inside bracelets – GLHF Feb 05 '15 at 12:36
1

@howaboutNO `0` is required if you're using Py2.6 – canni Feb 06 '15 at 10:14
But that's *slightly more characters* than the nice modulos and my lazy 1st-world doesn't like typing characters to get results – Nathan majicvr.com Jul 19 '19 at 22:09

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 28 '20 at 11:09

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)) )

score 2 · Answer 5 · edited Jul 19 '19 at 23:53

2

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!

edited Jul 19 '19 at 23:53

Nathan majicvr.com

950
2
11
31

answered Feb 15 '18 at 19:43

Thomas Vetterli

816
6
9

score -2 · Answer 6 · edited Mar 26 '21 at 20:38

-2

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

edited Mar 26 '21 at 20:38

Syscall

19,327
10
37
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answered Mar 26 '21 at 20:25

user15489393

1

took this out of an interest calculator i made in class, this was the output: – user15489393 Mar 26 '21 at 20:26
Interest Rate (APR): 5 % – user15489393 Mar 26 '21 at 20:27
3

Please, add an explanation in your answer. – Syscall Mar 26 '21 at 20:38

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

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