1. What is Percentage Change?

Percentage change measures the relative difference between an old value and a new value, expressed as a percentage. It is commonly used in finance, economics, statistics, and everyday life to track growth, decline, or variation over time.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percentage change formula:

Where:

• \( New \) — The new or current value
• \( Old \) — The original or previous value

Explanation: The formula calculates the relative difference between two values by finding the absolute change (new minus old), dividing by the original value, and converting to a percentage by multiplying by 100.

3. Importance of Percentage Change Calculation

Details: Percentage change is essential for analyzing trends, comparing performance, measuring growth rates, and making data-driven decisions in business, finance, and research.

4. Using the Calculator

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

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a positive percentage change mean?
A: A positive percentage change indicates an increase from the old value to the new value.

Q2: What does a negative percentage change mean?
A: A negative percentage change indicates a decrease or reduction from the old value to the new value.

Q3: Can I calculate percentage change when the old value is zero?
A: No, the formula requires division by the old value, so it cannot be zero. In such cases, consider alternative measures of change.

Q4: How is percentage change different from percentage difference?
A: Percentage change compares two values over time (sequential), while percentage difference compares two values at the same time (simultaneous).

Q5: Where is percentage change commonly used?
A: Stock market returns, sales growth, population changes, inflation rates, academic performance, and many other fields where relative change matters.