1. What is Percentage Change?

Percentage change measures the relative difference between an old value and a new value, expressed as a percentage. It's commonly used in finance, economics, and data analysis to track growth or decline 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 dividing the absolute change by the original value and multiplying by 100 to get a percentage.

3. Importance of Percentage Change Calculation

Details: Percentage change is essential for analyzing trends, comparing data over time, measuring growth rates, and making informed decisions in business, finance, and research.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both old and new values. The old value cannot be zero. Positive results indicate increase, negative results indicate decrease.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

Q2: Why can't the old value be zero?
A: Division by zero is mathematically undefined, so the old value must be non-zero to calculate percentage change.

Q3: How is percentage change different from percentage difference?
A: Percentage change compares two values over time (sequential), while percentage difference compares two distinct values at the same time.

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

Q5: How is percentage change used in real-world applications?
A: It's used in stock market analysis, sales growth measurement, population studies, inflation rates, and performance metrics across various industries.