1. What is a Percentage Difference Calculator?

Definition: This calculator determines the relative difference between two values as a percentage of their average.

Purpose: It helps compare two values to understand how much they differ relative to their average, useful in statistics, science, and business analysis.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( A \) — First value to compare
• \( B \) — Second value to compare
• \( |A - B| \) — Absolute difference between the values
• \( \frac{A + B}{2} \) — Average of the two values

Explanation: The formula calculates how much two numbers differ relative to their average, expressed as a percentage.

3. Importance of Percentage Difference

Details: Percentage difference provides a standardized way to compare differences regardless of the magnitude of the values, making it valuable for:

• Comparing experimental results
• Analyzing price changes
• Measuring performance differences
• Quality control assessments

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter any two numerical values (positive or negative). The calculator will show their percentage difference based on the average of the two values.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is percentage difference different from percentage change?
A: Percentage change compares a new value to an old one, while percentage difference compares two values without considering which is reference.

Q2: What does a 0% difference mean?
A: It means the two values are identical (A = B).

Q3: Can I compare negative numbers?
A: Yes, the calculator works with both positive and negative values.

Q4: What's considered a "significant" difference?
A: This depends on your field. In some contexts 5% might be significant, while in others only 20%+ matters.

Q5: Why use average in the denominator instead of one value?
A: Using the average makes the calculation symmetric - swapping A and B gives the same result.