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 to track growth, decline, or changes over time in various fields such as finance, economics, and statistics.

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 finding the absolute change, dividing by the original value, and converting to a percentage.

3. Importance of Percentage Change Calculation

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

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both old and new values. The old value must be greater than 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 or decline from the old value to the new value.

Q2: Can percentage change be more than 100%?
A: Yes, percentage change can exceed 100% when the new value is more than double the old value.

Q3: What if the old value is zero?
A: The calculation is undefined when the old value is zero, as division by zero is not possible.

Q4: How is percentage change different from percentage points?
A: Percentage change measures relative difference, while percentage points measure absolute difference between percentages.

Q5: When is percentage change most useful?
A: It's most useful when comparing changes across different scales or when the magnitude of change relative to the original value is important.