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 value.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percentage change formula:

Where:

• New Value — The current or final value
• Old Value — The original or initial value

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 relative comparisons between different quantities.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both old and new values. The calculator will show the percentage change and indicate whether it's an 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 difference?
A: Percentage change compares a new value to an old value, while percentage difference compares any two values without reference to which is older.

Q3: What if my old value is zero?
A: The calculation is undefined when the old value is zero, as you cannot divide by zero. In such cases, consider using absolute change instead.

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 do I interpret a percentage decrease from 100 to 50 versus 50 to 0?
A: Both are 50% changes but represent different magnitudes of absolute change. The first is a decrease of 50 units, the second of 25 units.