42/78 as a percentage is 53.85%. This tells you how much of a whole the fraction represents when you look at it in terms of hundredths.
The fraction 42/78 can be simplified to 14/26 and then to 7/13. Even in its reduced form, it still points to the same part of a whole, which is just over half.
Knowing that 53.85% is the percentage version makes it easy to compare with other numbers that are already expressed as percentages, like test scores or discount rates.
In everyday situations, you might see this percentage used to describe a portion of a budget, a share of a group, or any other scenario where a part‑to‑whole relationship is needed.