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Percentage Calculator

Work out percentages, shares and percentage change.

Calculators Free, no sign-up Runs in your browser

What is X% of Y?

36
Result

X is what percentage of Y?

15%
Percentage

Percentage increase or decrease

50%
Change
Increase
Direction
25
Absolute difference

About the Percentage Calculator

Percentage Calculator covers the three questions that make up almost all everyday percentage work, each in its own panel so you do not have to rearrange a formula in your head.

The first finds a share of a number: what is 15 percent of 240. The second works backwards: 36 is what percentage of 240. The third measures change between two values and tells you whether it is an increase or a decrease, which is the calculation people most often get wrong because the original value, not the new one, is the base.

Each panel explains its own arithmetic underneath the answer, showing the numbers substituted into the formula. That makes the result easy to check and useful for anyone learning the method rather than just needing the figure.

How to use the Percentage Calculator

  1. Pick the question you are answeringThree panels cover percent of a number, one number as a share of another, and change between two values.
  2. Enter your numbersResults appear as you type; there is no calculate button to press.
  3. Read the worked formulaEach answer is shown with the numbers substituted in so you can verify it.
  4. Copy the resultTake the figure with the copy button next to it.

Features

  • What is X percent of Y
  • X is what percent of Y
  • Percentage increase and decrease between two values
  • Live results as you type
  • The formula shown with your numbers in it
  • Handles decimals and negative values
  • Copy any result

Who uses this tool

The percentage calculator is used by writers, developers, students, marketers and anyone else who needs the job done once without installing software. Common cases include:

  • Calculating a tip, a commission or a service charge
  • Working out how much a price rose or fell
  • Converting a test score into a percentage
  • Checking a growth figure quoted in a report
  • Splitting a total into proportional shares

Frequently asked questions

What is the formula for percentage change?

Subtract the old value from the new value, divide by the old value, then multiply by 100. The old value is always the base, which is why a rise from 50 to 75 is a 50 percent increase while a fall from 75 to 50 is a 33.3 percent decrease.

Why are percentage increase and decrease not symmetrical?

Because each is measured against its own starting point. Going up by 50 percent and then down by 50 percent does not return you to where you started, since the second calculation is based on the larger number.

How do I find the original price before a percentage was added?

Divide the final amount by one plus the rate as a decimal. A total of 120 that includes 20 percent tax came from 100, because 120 divided by 1.2 is 100. The Discount Calculator handles this for prices.

What are percentage points?

They measure the gap between two percentages. A rate moving from 5 percent to 7 percent has risen by 2 percentage points, which is a 40 percent increase. Reports often blur the two, so it is worth checking which is meant.

Can I use negative numbers?

Yes. All three panels accept negatives, which matters when you are measuring change against a loss or a deficit.

How many decimal places are shown?

Up to two by default, with trailing zeros trimmed. The underlying calculation uses full precision, so rounding appears only in the display.

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