1. What is Percentage Change?

Percentage change measures the degree of change over time, expressed as a percentage. It's used to compare the relative change between an old value and a new value in various fields like finance, statistics, and science.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percentage change formula:

Where:

• \( new \) — The new value being measured
• \( old \) — The original or old value

Explanation: The formula calculates the difference between the new and old values, divides by the old value to get a relative change, then multiplies by 100 to convert to a percentage.

3. Importance of Percentage Change

Details: Percentage change is crucial for understanding growth rates, performance changes, and trends in business, economics, science, and many other fields. It provides a standardized way to compare changes of different magnitudes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both old and new values. The calculator will show the percentage increase (positive result) or decrease (negative result). Note that division by zero is undefined.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a negative percentage change mean?
A: A negative result indicates a decrease from the old value to the new value.

Q2: How is percentage change different from percentage difference?
A: Percentage change compares a new value to an old value, while percentage difference compares any two values without directionality.

Q3: What if my old value is zero?
A: The calculation is undefined when the old value is zero, as you cannot divide by zero.

Q4: Can percentage change be more than 100%?
A: Yes, if the new value is more than double the old value, the percentage change will exceed 100%.

Q5: How is percentage change used in finance?
A: It's commonly used to track stock performance, revenue growth, expense changes, and other financial metrics over time.