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 average size.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( A \) — First value
• \( B \) — Second value
• The vertical bars \( | \) indicate absolute value

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

3. Importance of Percentage Difference

Details: Percentage difference is useful for comparing measurements, experimental results, or any two values where you want to understand their relative difference.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter any two numerical values (positive or negative). The calculator will show how different they are as a percentage of their average.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is this different from percentage change?
A: Percentage change measures increase/decrease from an original value, while percentage difference compares two values without considering which is "original."

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

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

Q4: What's considered a "big" difference?
A: This depends on context. In some fields 5% is significant, while in others even 50% might be acceptable.

Q5: Why use average in the denominator?
A: Using the average makes the calculation symmetric - swapping A and B gives the same result.