Percentage Increase Decrease Calculator with Steps
Calculate percentage increase or decrease with detailed step-by-step solutions. Perfect for students, business, and everyday calculations. Free calculator.
Quick Answer
Percentage change = ((New Value - Original Value) ÷ Original Value) × 100. Positive results are increases, negative results are decreases. Use our calculator for step-by-step.
Calculate Your Percentage Changes
Get precise percentage calculations with detailed step-by-step solutions
Calculate With Full ToolWhat is Percentage Increase/Decrease?
Percentage increase/decrease calculates the relative change between two values as a percentage. This is essential for understanding growth, inflation, discounts, price changes, and many real-world applications.
How Percentage Calculations Work
The formula compares the difference between new and original values to the original value, then multiplies by 100 to express as a percentage. Positive results show increases, negative results show decreases.
Why Percentage Calculations Matter
Understanding percentage changes helps with financial planning, business analysis, academic success, and everyday decision-making. It standardizes comparisons across different scales.
Percentage Change Formula
Percentage Change = ((New Value - Original Value) ÷ Original Value) × 100
Percentage Increase: ((New - Original) ÷ Original) × 100 (positive result)
Percentage Decrease: ((New - Original) ÷ Original) × 100 (negative result)
Absolute Change: New Value - Original Value
Reverse Calculation: Original × (1 + Percentage/100) = New Value
Step-by-Step Example
Example: Price Increase from $50 to $60
Step 1: Original Value: $50
Step 2: New Value: $60
Step 3: Difference: $60 - $50 = $10
Step 4: Percentage: ($10 ÷ $50) × 100 = 20%
Step 5: Result: 20% increase
This example shows how a $10 increase from $50 to $60 represents a 20% increase, useful for understanding price changes, salary adjustments, or investment returns.
Who Should Use This Calculator?
Students
Calculate grade changes and percentage improvements
Business Owners
Analyze price changes and profit margins
Financial Analysts
Calculate investment returns and market changes
Shoppers
Compare discount percentages and sale prices
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate percentage change?
Subtract original from new, divide by original, multiply by 100. For decreases, the result will be negative. Use absolute value if you only need the magnitude.
What's the difference between percent and percentage points?
Percentage points are absolute differences (5 percentage points = 5%). Percentages are relative to original value. 5% of 100 is 5, but 5 percentage points is always 5.
How do you reverse percentage calculations?
Multiply original by (1 + percentage/100). Example: 100 × 1.20 = 120 for a 20% increase from 100.
Can percentage change be over 100%?
Yes, if new value more than doubles original. Example: 50 to 120 is 140% increase. This happens with exponential growth or major changes.
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