1. What is a Percentage Change Calculator?

Definition: This calculator determines the percentage increase or decrease between two values.

Purpose: It helps analyze growth rates, price changes, performance improvements, and other comparative measurements.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• New — The current or new value
• Old — The original or old 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 growth across different scales, making it essential for financial analysis, scientific research, and business metrics.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the old value and new value (both unitless numbers). The old value must be greater than 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a negative percentage mean?
A: A negative percentage 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, so the calculation requires a non-zero old value.

Q3: How do I interpret a 100% increase?
A: A 100% increase means the new value is exactly double the old value.

Q4: What's the difference between percentage change and percentage points?
A: Percentage change measures relative change between two values, while percentage points measure absolute differences between percentages.

Q5: Can I use this for percentage decrease calculations?
A: Yes, the same formula works for both increases and decreases - decreases will show as negative percentages.