1. What is a Percent Change Calculator?

Definition: This calculator measures the percentage difference between an old value and a new value.

Purpose: It helps analyze growth, decline, or change in various contexts like finance, statistics, and business metrics.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( New \) — The new or current value
• \( Old \) — The original or previous value

Explanation: The difference between new and old values is divided by the old value, then multiplied by 100 to get a percentage.

3. Interpretation of Results

Positive Value: Indicates an increase or growth from old to new value.

Negative Value: Indicates a decrease or decline from old to new value.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both old and new values. The old value cannot be zero (division by zero is undefined).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between percent change and percent difference?
A: Percent change compares two values over time, while percent difference compares two simultaneous values.

Q2: How do I interpret a negative percent change?
A: A negative result means the new value is smaller than the old value (a decrease).

Q3: What if my old value is zero?
A: The calculation is undefined (division by zero). Consider using absolute difference instead.

Q4: Can I calculate percentage increase and decrease?
A: Yes, the same formula works for both - the sign of the result indicates increase or decrease.

Q5: How precise are the results?
A: Results are shown with 2 decimal places for percentage values.