Percentage Calculator

Percentages trip people up because the same word covers three different questions: what is 15% of 240, what percent is 36 of 240, and what is the change from 240 to 276. This calculator answers all three side by side and shows the formula it used, so the result can be checked rather than trusted blindly.

How to use it

1. Use the first panel for "what is X% of Y" — discounts, tips, commission.
2. Use the change panel for growth or decline between an old and a new value.
3. Use the third panel to express one number as a percentage of another.
4. Read the formula under each result to reproduce the calculation by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Why is a 50% fall not undone by a 50% rise?

Percentages are relative to their starting point. A fall from 100 to 50 is 50%, but recovering to 100 from 50 requires a 100% gain. This asymmetry is why investment losses hurt more than equivalent gains help.

What is the difference between percentage change and percentage points?

If a rate moves from 4% to 6%, that is a rise of 2 percentage points but a 50% increase. News reports mix these up constantly.

How do I reverse a percentage increase?

Divide rather than subtract. To remove a 25% increase from 125, divide by 1.25 to get 100. Subtracting 25% would wrongly give 93.75.

Can percentage change be more than 100%?

Yes, for increases — going from 10 to 35 is a 250% rise. Decreases cannot exceed 100% unless the value goes negative.

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