1. What is a Percentage Difference Calculator?

Definition: This calculator measures 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 mean value.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( Value1 \) — First value for comparison
• \( Value2 \) — Second value for comparison
• The absolute difference is divided by the average of the two values
• Multiplied by 100 to convert to percentage

Explanation: This calculation shows how different two values are relative to their average, not relative to either value individually.

3. When to Use Percentage Difference

Details: Useful when comparing:

• Experimental results vs theoretical values
• Two measurement techniques
• Price changes over time
• Performance of two systems

4. Using the Calculator

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

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is this different from percentage change?
A: Percentage change compares to an original value, while percentage difference compares two values symmetrically.

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

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

Q4: What's the maximum possible percentage difference?
A: When comparing a value with zero, the difference approaches 200%.

Q5: When would I use this instead of percentage error?
A: Use percentage difference when comparing two experimental values, and percentage error when comparing experimental vs theoretical.