Percentages turn up in every business number: discounts, growth, tax, margins, commissions, survey results. This calculator handles the four everyday forms of the question. What is 15% of 240? 36. 36 is what percent of 240? 15%. From 240 to 276 is what change? A 15% increase. Increase 240 by 15%? 276. Choose the form of the question from the list and the answer updates as you type.
Two things trip people up. Percentage points and percentages are different (a move from 10% to 12% is 2 points but a 20% increase), and a rise followed by the same percentage fall does not return to the start: up 20% then down 20% leaves you 4% lower. The percentage change mode shows both the amount and the percentage so the working is visible.
Percentage Calculator
The percentage calculator answers the four questions that come up most often in business arithmetic. What is X% of Y is the discount and commission case: 15% of 240 is 36. X is what percent of Y is the share case: 36 is 15% of 240. Percentage change compares two figures over time: from 200 to 250 is a 25% increase, from 250 to 200 is a 20% decrease, and the asymmetry is exactly why growth and decline rates should never be added together. Increase or decrease by X% applies a rate to a base: 240 increased by 15% is 276.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I work out a percentage of a number?
Multiply the number by the percentage and divide by 100: 15% of 240 = 240 × 15 ÷ 100 = 36.
How is percentage change calculated?
(new value − old value) ÷ old value × 100. A change from 240 to 276 is 36 ÷ 240 = 15%. A negative result is a decrease.
How do I reverse a percentage increase?
Divide by 1 plus the percentage: a price of 276 after a 15% rise started at 276 ÷ 1.15 = 240. Subtracting 15% of 276 would give the wrong answer.
