Percentage Calculator
Calculate percentages, percentage changes, and percentage differences. Choose from three calculation modes for all your percentage needs.
Calculate X% of Y
Result
250
is 25% of 1,000
Formula
(25 / 100) × 1,000 = 250
Example Use Case
Calculate discounts, tips, taxes, or commissions. For example: "What's a 15% tip on a $50 meal?" or "How much is 25% off a $100 item?"
Calculate X is what % of Y?
Percentage
25%
250 is 25% of 1,000
Formula
(250 / 1,000) × 100 = 25%
Example Use Case
Calculate what percentage one number is of another. For example: "I scored 45 out of 60 on a test, what's my percentage?" or "What percentage of my $2,000 budget did I spend if I used $500?"
Calculate Percentage Change
Percentage Change
+25%
from 1,000 to 1,250
Formula
((1,250 - 1,000) / 1,000) × 100 = 25%
Example Use Case
Calculate increases or decreases over time. For example: "My salary went from $50,000 to $55,000, what's the percentage increase?" or "Sales dropped from $10,000 to $8,000, what's the percentage decrease?"
Understanding Percentages
A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100. The word "percent" literally means "per hundred." Percentages are used everywhere in daily life, from calculating discounts and tips to understanding statistics and financial growth.
Common Percentage Calculations
1. Finding X% of Y
To find what X percent of Y is, use the formula: (X / 100) × Y
Example: 20% of 150 = (20 / 100) × 150 = 30
2. Finding What Percentage X is of Y
To find what percentage X is of Y, use: (X / Y) × 100
Example: 30 is what % of 150? = (30 / 150) × 100 = 20%
3. Calculating Percentage Change
To calculate percentage change from old to new value: ((New - Old) / Old) × 100
Example: Change from 100 to 125 = ((125 - 100) / 100) × 100 = 25% increase
Real-World Applications
- Shopping: Calculate discounts and sales prices
- Restaurants: Calculate tips (typically 15-20%)
- Finance: Calculate interest rates, returns, and taxes
- Business: Calculate profit margins, growth rates, and market share
- Education: Calculate grades and test scores
- Health: Calculate body fat percentage, weight changes
Important Notes
This calculator provides accurate percentage calculations based on the numbers you enter. Remember that percentage increases and decreases are not symmetrical - a 50% increase followed by a 50% decrease doesn't return you to the original number.
For example: $100 increased by 50% = $150. Then $150 decreased by 50% = $75 (not $100).
When calculating percentage changes, always use the original value as the base for the calculation.