36 percent of what number is 57?

To find the number, let's represent it as \(x\). We can set up the proportion:

$$36\% \ \text{of} \ x = 57$$

Converting the percentage to a decimal, we get:

$$0.36x = 57$$

Dividing both sides by 0.36, we can solve for \(x\):

$$x = \frac{57}{0.36} \approx 158.33$$

Therefore, the number is approximately 158.33.