1. What is a Percentage 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 convert to percentage.

3. Importance of Percentage Change Calculation

Details: Percentage change helps compare relative differences regardless of the absolute values, making it useful for analyzing trends over time.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the old (original) value and new (current) value. The old value cannot be zero. Positive results indicate increase, negative indicate decrease.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a negative percentage change mean?
A: A negative result indicates a decrease from the old value to the new value.

Q2: Why can't the old value be zero?
A: Division by zero is mathematically undefined, making percentage change calculation impossible.

Q3: How is this different from percentage difference?
A: Percentage change compares two values over time, while percentage difference compares two simultaneous values.

Q4: What's considered a significant percentage change?
A: Significance depends on context. In finance, 5% might be significant, while in scientific measurements, 0.1% could be crucial.

Q5: Can I calculate percentage change between more than two values?
A: This calculator compares two values. For multiple points, calculate changes between consecutive values separately.