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 widely used in finance, economics, statistics, and everyday life to track growth, decline, or variation 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 converting it to a percentage.

3. Importance of Percentage Change Calculation

Details: Percentage change is essential for analyzing trends, comparing performance, making investment decisions, tracking business growth, and understanding statistical variations across different fields.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the original value and the new value. Both values must be positive numbers. The calculator will show the percentage increase (positive result) or decrease (negative result).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

Q2: Can I use this for financial calculations?
A: Yes, this calculator is commonly used for stock price changes, revenue growth, profit margins, and other financial metrics.

Q3: What if the old value is zero?
A: The calculation is undefined when the old value is zero, as division by zero is mathematically impossible.

Q4: How is percentage change different from percentage difference?
A: Percentage change compares a value to its previous state, while percentage difference compares two distinct values without reference to time sequence.

Q5: Can I calculate percentage change for multiple periods?
A: For multiple periods, calculate the change for each period separately or use compound growth formulas for cumulative changes.