Why use this calculator
Understanding percentage change is essential for analyzing financial performance, price fluctuations, and growth metrics. This calculator makes it easy to see the relative difference between two values.
How to use it
Enter the original (old) value and the new value. The calculator shows the absolute change, percentage change, and whether it represents an increase or decrease.
The formula
Percentage Change = ((New Value - Old Value) / Old Value) x 100
Worked examples
Price increased from $100 to $125
25% increase, change of $25
Revenue dropped from $50,000 to $42,500
15% decrease, change of -$7,500
When people use it
- Tracking stock price or investment returns
- Comparing sales figures between periods
- Measuring inflation or cost increases
- Evaluating performance improvements or declines
Tips
- A positive result indicates an increase; a negative result indicates a decrease.
- If the old value is zero, percentage change is undefined.
- Use the multiplier to understand the ratio between old and new values.
Questions people ask
- What if the old value is zero?
- Percentage change is mathematically undefined when the old value is zero, as it would require division by zero.
- Is percentage change the same as percentage difference?
- No. Percentage change measures change relative to the original value. Percentage difference compares two values relative to their average.