42/80 as a percentage is 52.50%. This value shows that the fraction is just over half when you look at it in terms of parts per hundred.
The fraction 42/80 can be reduced to 21/40, which still represents the same part of a whole. Thinking of it as a percentage makes it easier to compare with other numbers that are already in percent form.
In everyday situations, saying something is 52.50% can be clearer than using the fraction, especially in reports, charts, or when describing progress toward a goal. It tells the reader quickly that a little more than half has been achieved.