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Percent Difference Calculator

Percent Difference Formula:

\[ \text{Percent Difference} = \frac{|A - B|}{\frac{A + B}{2}} \times 100 \]

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1. What is Percent Difference?

Definition: Percent difference measures the relative difference between two values as a percentage of their average.

Purpose: It's used to compare two experimental values or to compare an experimental value with a theoretical value.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

\[ \text{Percent Difference} = \frac{|A - B|}{\frac{A + B}{2}} \times 100 \]

Where:

Explanation: The difference between the two values is divided by their average, then multiplied by 100 to get a percentage.

3. When to Use Percent Difference

Details: Use when comparing two experimental values where neither is considered "correct" or "standard". For comparing to a known value, use percent error instead.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter any two numerical values. The calculator will determine their percent difference. Both values cannot be zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between percent difference and percent change?
A: Percent change compares a new value to an old value, while percent difference compares two equal-status values.

Q2: Can percent difference be negative?
A: No, the absolute value ensures it's always positive (0-100% range).

Q3: What does a 0% difference mean?
A: The two values are identical.

Q4: What's a good percent difference?
A: This depends on your field, but generally smaller values indicate better agreement between measurements.

Q5: How is this different from percentage error?
A: Percentage error compares a measured value to a known "true" value, while percent difference compares two experimental values.

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