Percentage Calculator

Calculate percentages instantly with our free online tool. Solve any percentage problem with ease!

What is X% of Y?

Find a percentage of a number (e.g., 20% of 100).

X is what % of Y?

Find what percentage one number is of another.

Percentage Change

Calculate percentage increase or decrease.

Percentage Difference

Find the percentage difference between two numbers.

Percent to Decimal/Fraction

Convert a percentage to decimal or fraction.

Compound Percentage

Calculate successive percentage changes.

Percentage (%)

Number

Second Percentage (%)

Calculation History

What is a Percentage Calculator?

A percentage calculator is a mathematical tool that helps you solve various percentage-related problems quickly and accurately. Percentages are used in countless real-world situations, from calculating discounts and taxes to determining growth rates and statistical comparisons.

Our free online percentage calculator can handle multiple types of percentage calculations:

Basic percentage calculations (What is X% of Y?)
Percentage of a number (X is what percent of Y?)
Percentage change (increase or decrease between two values)
Percentage difference between two numbers
Conversion between percentages, decimals, and fractions
Compound percentage calculations

How to Use Our Percentage Calculator

Using our percentage calculator is simple and straightforward. Follow these steps:

Select the calculation type from the six available options
Enter the required values in the input fields
The calculator will automatically compute and display the result
View the detailed explanation of how the calculation was performed
If needed, share your results or save them to your calculation history

Example Calculations

Example 1: What is 20% of 150?

Using our calculator:

Select "What is X% of Y?" mode
Enter 20 in the first field (percentage)
Enter 150 in the second field (number)
Result: 30 (20% of 150 is 30)

Formula: (20 / 100) × 150 = 30

Example 2: Percentage increase from 80 to 100

Using our calculator:

Select "Percentage Change" mode
Enter 80 in the first field (original value)
Enter 100 in the second field (new value)
Result: 25% (100 is a 25% increase over 80)

Formula: ((100 - 80) / 80) × 100 = 25%

Understanding Percentage Calculations

The Basic Percentage Formula

The fundamental percentage formula is:

Percentage = (Part / Whole) × 100

This formula is the foundation for all percentage calculations. Our calculator uses variations of this formula to solve different types of percentage problems.

Common Percentage Scenarios

1. Calculating a Percentage of a Number:
To find what X% of Y is, multiply Y by X divided by 100.

Result = Y × (X / 100)

2. Finding What Percentage One Number Is of Another:
To find what percentage X is of Y, divide X by Y and multiply by 100.

Percentage = (X / Y) × 100

3. Calculating Percentage Change:
To find the percentage increase or decrease between two numbers, divide the difference by the original value and multiply by 100.

Percentage Change = ((New Value - Original Value) / Original Value) × 100

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest way to calculate percentages? +

The easiest way is to use our percentage calculator above. For manual calculations, remember that "percent" means "per hundred." To find 10% of a number, simply move the decimal point one place to the left. For example, 10% of 250 is 25.0.

How do I calculate percentage increase? +

To calculate percentage increase:

Subtract the original value from the new value
Divide this difference by the original value
Multiply by 100 to get the percentage

Example: If a product's price increases from $50 to $60, the percentage increase is ((60-50)/50)×100 = 20%.

What's the difference between percentage difference and percentage change? +

Percentage change compares a new value to an original value, showing increase or decrease relative to the original. Percentage difference compares any two values without considering which is original, calculating the difference relative to their average.

Percentage change is directional (positive for increase, negative for decrease), while percentage difference is always positive.

How do I add or subtract percentages? +

To add a percentage to a number:

New Value = Original Value × (1 + (Percentage/100))

To subtract a percentage from a number:

New Value = Original Value × (1 - (Percentage/100))

Example: Adding 10% to 200: 200 × 1.10 = 220
Subtracting 15% from 200: 200 × 0.85 = 170

How do I convert between fractions, decimals, and percentages? +

Fraction to percentage: Divide numerator by denominator, multiply by 100
Decimal to percentage: Multiply by 100
Percentage to decimal: Divide by 100
Percentage to fraction: Write percentage over 100 and simplify

Example: 0.75 = 75% = 3/4

Practical Applications of Percentages

Percentages are used in nearly every aspect of daily life and business:

1. Shopping and Discounts

Calculate sale prices, discounts, and savings during shopping. For example, determining that a 30% discount on a $120 item saves you $36, making the final price $84.

2. Financial Calculations

Calculate interest rates, investment returns, loan payments, and credit card APRs. Understanding percentages is crucial for personal finance management.

3. Academic Grading

Convert between raw scores and percentage grades, or calculate what score you need on a final exam to achieve a certain class grade.

4. Business and Economics

Analyze profit margins, sales growth, market share, inflation rates, and other key business metrics that are typically expressed as percentages.

5. Health and Fitness

Track weight loss/gain percentages, body fat percentages, or nutritional information like daily value percentages on food labels.

Tips for Percentage Calculations

Use the percentage calculator above for quick, accurate results
Remember that 100% represents the whole amount
For mental math, 10% is easy to find (just move the decimal one place)
When working with percentage increases/decreases, always divide by the original value
Be careful with compound percentages - successive percentage changes don't simply add up
Double-check your calculations when dealing with financial percentages as small errors can have big consequences

Why Use Our Percentage Calculator?

While you can perform percentage calculations manually, our calculator offers several advantages:

Speed: Get instant results without manual computation
Accuracy: Eliminate human calculation errors
Versatility: Handle multiple types of percentage calculations with one tool
Explanation: See step-by-step how each calculation was performed
History: Keep track of your previous calculations
Accessibility: Use it anytime, anywhere with internet access

Whether you're a student learning percentages, a shopper comparing discounts, a business owner analyzing data, or just someone who needs to calculate tips at a restaurant, our free percentage calculator is the perfect tool for all your percentage needs.