Home Back

How To Calculate Percent Change

Percent Change Formula:

\[ \text{Percent Change} = \frac{\text{New Value} - \text{Old Value}}{|\text{Old Value}|} \times 100\% \]

Unit Converter ▲

Unit Converter ▼

From: To:

1. What is Percent Change?

Percent change measures the relative difference between an old value and a new value, expressed as a percentage. It shows how much a quantity has increased or decreased compared to its original value.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percent change formula:

\[ \text{Percent Change} = \frac{\text{New Value} - \text{Old Value}}{|\text{Old Value}|} \times 100\% \]

Where:

Explanation: The formula calculates the difference between values, divides by the absolute value of the original to determine the relative change, then converts to a percentage.

3. Importance of Percent Change Calculation

Details: Percent change is widely used in finance, economics, science, and business to track growth rates, price changes, performance improvements, and statistical trends.

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's the difference between percent change and percent difference?
A: Percent change compares two values over time (before/after), while percent difference compares two simultaneous measurements.

Q2: How do I interpret a negative percent change?
A: A negative result indicates a decrease from the old value to the new value.

Q3: What if my old value was zero?
A: Percent change is undefined when the old value is zero, as division by zero is impossible.

Q4: Can percent change be more than 100%?
A: Yes, this indicates the new value is more than double the old value.

Q5: How is percent change different from percentage points?
A: Percent change measures relative change, while percentage points measure absolute difference between percentages.

How To Calculate Percent Change© - All Rights Reserved 2025