Calculator Use
The percentage calculator is a versatile tool designed to handle all your daily percentage-based math requirements. Whether you are trying to figure out a discount at a retail store, calculating the tip for a meal, or analyzing financial growth in a business report, this tool provides instant and accurate results. Percentages are essential for understanding relative values, and our calculator simplifies the process by offering three distinct calculation modes.
- Percentage of a Number
- Use this to find a specific portion of a total. For example, finding 15% of a $60 bill.
- What Percentage Is X of Y
- Use this to find the ratio between two numbers expressed as a percent. For example, if you got 45 questions right out of 50, what was your score?
- Percentage Change
- Use this to find the percentage increase or decrease between an old value and a new value, commonly used for price changes or population growth.
How It Works
Percentage literally means "per hundred." When you calculate a percentage, you are essentially converting a fraction into a format where the denominator is 100. The formulas vary based on what you are trying to solve:
1. Finding the Percentage of a Value
Value = (Percentage / 100) × Total Amount
2. Finding the Percent of Two Numbers
Percentage = (Part / Whole) × 100
3. Percentage Change Formula
Percentage Change = [(New Value – Original Value) / Original Value] × 100
Calculation Examples
Example 1: Sales Tax
You want to buy a laptop that costs $1,200. The sales tax in your area is 8.5%. How much tax will you pay?
- Percentage = 8.5
- Amount = 1,200
- Calculation: (8.5 / 100) * 1,200 = 102
- Result: The tax is $102.
Example 2: Exam Score
A student scored 32 out of 40 on a math test. What is their percentage score?
- Part = 32
- Whole = 40
- Calculation: (32 / 40) * 100 = 80%
- Result: The score is 80%.
Example 3: Price Increase
The price of a gallon of milk rose from $3.50 to $4.20. What is the percentage increase?
- Original = 3.50
- New = 4.20
- Calculation: ((4.20 – 3.50) / 3.50) * 100 = 20%
- Result: The price increased by 20%.
Common Questions
What is a percentage point?
A percentage point is the simple numerical difference between two percentages. For example, if an interest rate moves from 5% to 6%, it has increased by 1 percentage point, but it has actually increased by 20% in terms of its own value.
How do you calculate a 20% tip quickly?
To find 20% of any number, move the decimal point one place to the left (which gives you 10%) and then double that number. For instance, 20% of $70: 10% is $7, doubled is $14.
Can a percentage be higher than 100?
Yes. A percentage higher than 100 means the "part" is larger than the "whole" or that the value has more than doubled in the case of percentage growth. If a stock price goes from $10 to $30, that is a 200% increase.