Percentage Change Formula:
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Percentage change measures the degree of change over time, expressed as a percentage. It's commonly used to compare an old value to a new value, showing either an increase or decrease in percentage terms.
The calculator uses the percentage change formula:
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.
Details: Percentage change is widely used in finance, economics, science, and everyday life to compare changes in values over time. It provides a standardized way to express changes regardless of the original values' magnitude.
Tips: Enter the old (original) value and the new (current) value. The calculator will show the percentage increase or decrease. Note that the old value must be greater than zero.
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: What if my old value is zero?
A: The calculation is undefined when the old value is zero, as division by zero is impossible.
Q3: How is this different from percentage difference?
A: Percentage change compares two values over time, while percentage difference compares two values at the same time.
Q4: Can percentage change be more than 100%?
A: Yes, if the new value is more than double the old value, the percentage increase will exceed 100%.
Q5: Why is percentage change useful?
A: It allows comparison of changes across different scales and magnitudes by standardizing the change as a percentage.