How to Calculate Rate of Change
The rate of change tells you how quickly a quantity is increasing or decreasing over a specific interval. In physics and mathematics this is often expressed as the difference between the final and initial value divided by the time span or distance. Use this calculator to compare changes in real-world measurements like temperature, speed, or population over time.
Example: A sensor reads 50 units at time t=0 seconds and 80 units at t=6 seconds. The rate of change is (80 – 50) รท 6 = 5 units per second. You can also express the relative change as a percentage of the starting value.
In addition to the absolute rate, the percentage change clarifies how significant the difference is relative to where you started. A positive rate indicates growth, while a negative rate indicates decline.