1. What is Percentage Change?

Percentage change measures the relative difference between two numbers, showing how much a value has increased or decreased compared to its original value. It's commonly used in finance, economics, and data analysis to track growth or decline.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percentage change formula:

Where:

• \( n1 \) — Initial number (original value)
• \( n2 \) — Final number (new value)

Explanation: The formula calculates the difference between the two numbers relative to the original value, expressed as a percentage. The absolute value of n1 is used in the denominator to ensure correct interpretation of decreases.

3. Importance of Percentage Change

Details: Percentage change is fundamental for comparing changes across different scales, analyzing trends over time, and making data more interpretable by standardizing comparisons.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both initial and final numbers. The calculator handles positive and negative values correctly. Note that percentage change from zero is undefined.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

Q2: How is this different from percentage difference?
A: Percentage change compares two numbers in time order, while percentage difference compares any two numbers without time sequence.

Q3: Why use absolute value in the denominator?
A: The absolute value ensures the percentage change has the correct sign (positive for increase, negative for decrease) regardless of whether the original value was positive or negative.

Q4: What if my initial value is zero?
A: Percentage change from zero is undefined because you cannot divide by zero. Consider alternative metrics in such cases.

Q5: How do I interpret a 100% change?
A: A 100% increase means the value has doubled. A 100% decrease means the value has gone to zero.