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Percentage Increase

Calculate the percentage increase between two values instantly.

What this tool does

Calculate the percentage increase between two values instantly. You fill in these fields: Starting value and New value. It shows percentage change, change in value, and direction.

Inputs

  • Starting value: A number. The value before the change. It cannot be 0.
  • New value: A number. The value after the change.

How to use

  1. Enter the starting value.
  2. Enter the new value.
  3. Read the result: percentage change, change in value, and direction. It appears once every required field has a valid value.

Worked examples

Example 1. Inputs:

  • Starting value: 100
  • New value: 150

Results:

  • Percentage change: 50%
  • Change in value: 50
  • Direction: An increase

How this is worked out: Percent change = (new - original) / |original| x 100 = (150 - 100) / 100 x 100 = 50. Difference = 150 - 100 = 50.

Example 2. Inputs:

  • Starting value: -100
  • New value: -50

Results:

  • Percentage change: 50%
  • Change in value: 50
  • Direction: An increase

How this is worked out: The change is divided by the size of the original value, |-100| = 100. Percent change = (-50 - (-100)) / 100 x 100 = 50 / 100 x 100 = 50. The value rose from -100 to -50, so it is an increase. Difference = -50 - (-100) = 50.

Example 3. Inputs:

  • Starting value: 50
  • New value: 12

Results:

  • Percentage change: -76%
  • Change in value: -38
  • Direction: A decrease

How this is worked out: Percent change = (12 - 50) / 50 x 100 = -38 / 50 x 100 = -0.76 x 100 = -76. The decrease shown is 76 percent. Difference = 12 - 50 = -38.

Example 4. Inputs:

  • Starting value: 80
  • New value: 80

Results:

  • Percentage change: 0%
  • Change in value: 0
  • Direction: No change

How this is worked out: The difference is 80 - 80 = 0, so 0 / 80 x 100 = 0. The values are equal, so the direction is none.

Where this comes from

Percent change from one value to another. The starting value is taken from the new value, the difference is divided by the size of the starting value, and the result is multiplied by 100. The starting value cannot be 0. Source: Arithmetic: percent change = (new - start) / |start| x 100.

Limitations

  • Compares two values only. It does not take a time period into account, so it does not give a yearly rate.
  • Does not compound changes over several periods and does not adjust for inflation.
  • Accepts plain numbers only.

FAQs

Q: How is the percentage worked out?
A: The difference between the new value and the starting value is divided by the size of the starting value, then multiplied by 100.
Q: What does a negative result mean?
A: The new value is lower than the starting value, so the change is a decrease. On a page that leads with the decrease, a negative decrease means the value went up.
Q: Why can the starting value not be 0?
A: The change is divided by the starting value, so a starting value of 0 is refused with a message.
Q: What happens when the starting value is negative?
A: The division uses the size of the starting value without its minus sign. A move from -50 to -25 is an increase of 50 percent.
Q: What is the Change in value card?
A: It is the new value minus the starting value, in the same unit as the numbers you entered.

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