Home Back

Calculate Percent Increase And Decrease

Percentage Change Formula:

\[ \text{Percentage Change} = \left( \frac{\text{New Value} - \text{Old Value}}{\text{Old Value}} \right) \times 100\% \]

Unit Converter ▲

Unit Converter ▼

From: To:

1. What is Percentage Change?

Percentage change measures the relative difference between an old value and a new value, expressed as a percentage. It shows how much a quantity has increased or decreased compared to its original amount.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percentage change formula:

\[ \text{Percentage Change} = \left( \frac{\text{New Value} - \text{Old Value}}{\text{Old Value}} \right) \times 100\% \]

Where:

Explanation: The formula calculates the difference between the new and old values, divides by the old value to get a relative change, then multiplies by 100 to convert to a percentage.

3. Importance of Percentage Change

Details: Percentage change is widely used in finance, economics, science, and everyday life to compare changes over time, track growth or decline, and make meaningful comparisons between different scales.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the original (old) value and the new value. The calculator will show the percentage increase or decrease. Note: The old value cannot be zero (division by zero is undefined).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a negative percentage change mean?
A: A negative percentage change indicates a decrease from the old value to the new value.

Q2: How is percentage change different from percentage points?
A: Percentage change measures relative change from an original value, while percentage points measure absolute differences between percentages.

Q3: What if my old value is zero?
A: Percentage change cannot be calculated when the old value is zero, as it would require division by zero.

Q4: Can percentage change be more than 100%?
A: Yes, if the new value is more than double the old value, the percentage change will exceed 100%.

Q5: How is percentage change used in finance?
A: It's commonly used to calculate investment returns, price changes, revenue growth, and other financial metrics.

Percentage Change Calculator© - All Rights Reserved 2025