Percentage Decrease Formula:
From: | To: |
Percentage decrease measures the reduction in a value relative to its original amount, expressed as a percentage. It's commonly used to track declines in prices, quantities, or performance metrics.
The calculator uses the percentage decrease formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates what portion of the original value was lost, then converts it to a percentage.
Details: Percentage decrease is crucial for analyzing trends, comparing reductions across different scales, and making informed decisions in finance, business, and science.
Tips: Enter both old and new values. The old value must be greater than zero. The new value should be less than or equal to the old value for a decrease.
Q1: What's the difference between percentage decrease and absolute decrease?
A: Absolute decrease shows the raw difference (old - new), while percentage decrease shows this difference relative to the original value.
Q2: Can percentage decrease be more than 100%?
A: Only if the new value is negative, which would be unusual in most contexts. Normally it ranges from 0% to 100%.
Q3: How is percentage decrease different from percentage change?
A: Percentage change can be positive (increase) or negative (decrease), while percentage decrease is always a positive value representing reduction.
Q4: What if my old value is zero?
A: The calculation becomes undefined (division by zero). Percentage decrease can't be calculated when starting from zero.
Q5: How do I interpret a 50% decrease?
A: A 50% decrease means the new value is half of the original value (e.g., from 100 to 50).