Percentage Calculator
Three modes: find a percentage of a number, work out what percentage one value is of another, or calculate percentage change.
This percentage calculator solves three everyday percentage problems. Use the X% of Y mode when you need a portion of a number (like 20% of 150 for a discount). Use the X is what % of Y mode to express one number as a percentage of another (like converting 45 out of 60 to a percentage score). Use the percent change mode to find the increase or decrease between two values (like comparing sales figures or measuring growth). Each result displays the formula used, making it easy to verify your answer or apply the same calculation by hand.
Frequently asked questions
How do you find a percentage of a number?
Divide the percentage by 100, then multiply by the number. For example, 25% of 200 = (25 ÷ 100) × 200 = 50.
How do you work out what percentage one number is of another?
Divide the part by the whole, then multiply by 100. For example, 50 out of 200 = (50 ÷ 200) × 100 = 25%.
How do you calculate percentage change?
Subtract the original value from the new value, divide by the absolute value of the original, then multiply by 100. A positive result is an increase; a negative result is a decrease. For example, from 50 to 75: ((75 − 50) ÷ 50) × 100 = 50% increase.
What is the difference between percentage increase and percentage difference?
Percentage increase compares a new value to an original value, with the original as the base. Percentage difference compares two values without a defined direction — it uses the average of the two as the base. Use percentage change when you have a clear before and after.
Why does the % change formula use the absolute value of the original?
Using the absolute value keeps the sign of the result meaningful. If the original is negative, dividing by the negative original would reverse the sign of the result. Taking the absolute value ensures an increase always returns a positive percentage and a decrease always returns a negative one.
How many decimal places does this calculator show?
Results are shown to four decimal places, with trailing zeros removed. For example, 33.3333% is shown as 33.3333 and 25% is shown as 25.