Percentage Change Formula:
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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 value.
The calculator uses the percentage change formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the relative change between two values. A positive result indicates an increase, while a negative result indicates a decrease.
Details: Percentage change is widely used in finance, economics, statistics, and everyday life to compare changes over time, analyze growth rates, and make relative comparisons between different quantities.
Tips: Enter both old and new values. The old value cannot be zero (division by zero is undefined). The calculator automatically determines if the change is an increase or decrease.
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 difference?
A: Percentage change compares a new value to an old value, while percentage difference compares any two values without considering which is the reference.
Q3: What if my old value is zero?
A: Percentage change is undefined when the old value is zero because you cannot divide by zero. In such cases, you should consider absolute change instead.
Q4: Can percentage change be more than 100%?
A: Yes, percentage change can exceed 100% when the new value is more than double the old value.
Q5: How is percentage change used in finance?
A: In finance, it's used to calculate returns on investments, track stock price changes, and analyze revenue growth or decline.