1. What is a Percentage Change Calculator?

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

Purpose: It helps analyze changes in measurements, prices, quantities, or any numerical data over time.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• New Value — The current or final measurement
• Old Value — The original or initial measurement

Explanation: The difference between new and old values is divided by the old value to get relative change, 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 financial analysis, performance tracking, and scientific measurements.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both old and new values. The calculator handles both increases (positive result) and decreases (negative result). Old value cannot be zero.

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 percentage change cannot be calculated when starting from zero.

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 - a 5% price change might be significant, while a 5% change in large measurements might not be.

Q5: Can I calculate reverse percentage changes?
A: Yes, you can rearrange the formula to find original values given percentage changes.