Apercent composition analysis yields 32.37% sodium, 22.57 sulfur and 45.05% oxygen what is the empirical formula for the compound

Na₂SO₄

Explanation:  

Assume that you have 100 g of the compound.  

Then you have 32.37 g Na, 22.57 g S, and 45.05 g O.  

1. Calculate the moles of each element.

Moles of Na = 32.37 × 1/22.99  =   1.408   mol Na

Moles of S    = 22.57 × 1/32.06  = 0.7040 mol S

Moles of O   = 45.05 × 1/16.00   = 2.816    mol O

2. Calculate the molar ratios.  

Divide all values by the smallest number.

Na: 1.408/0.7040   = 2.000

S:  0.7040/0.7040 = 1

O: 2.816/0.7040    = 4.000

3. Determine the empirical formula

Round off all numbers to the closest integer.  

Na: 2

S:   1

O:  4

The empirical formula is Na₂SO₄.