1. What is Percent Difference?

The percent difference measures the relative difference between two values as a percentage of their average. It's commonly used to compare two experimental results or measurements where neither value can be considered the "correct" or reference value.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percent difference formula:

Where:

• \( Value_1 \) — First measurement or value
• \( Value_2 \) — Second measurement or value
• The vertical bars | | indicate absolute value

Explanation: The formula calculates the absolute difference between the two values, divides by their average, and converts to a percentage.

3. When to Use Percent Difference

Details: Percent difference is appropriate when comparing two experimental values, two measurements of the same quantity, or when there is no clear reference value. It's commonly used in physics, chemistry, and engineering experiments.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter any two numerical values (positive or negative). The calculator will compute the percent difference between them. Both values cannot be zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is percent difference different from percent change?
A: Percent change compares a new value to an old reference value, while percent difference compares two values without designating either as reference.

Q2: What does a percent difference of 0% mean?
A: A 0% difference means the two values are identical.

Q3: Can percent difference be greater than 100%?
A: Yes, if one value is more than three times the other, the percent difference will exceed 100%.

Q4: How do I interpret percent difference results?
A: Smaller percent differences indicate better agreement between values. What's considered "acceptable" depends on your specific application.

Q5: What if both values are zero?
A: The percent difference is undefined when both values are zero, as it would involve division by zero.