Percentage Calculator

Calculate percentages, increases, and decreases

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Percentage Calculator
Choose the type of percentage calculation you need
What is X% of Y?
Quick Examples
Common percentage calculations
Sales Tax
What is 8.5% of $150?
Answer: $12.75
Discount
What is 20% off $80?
Answer: $16 discount, $64 final price
Grade
85 out of 100 is what %?
Answer: 85%
Growth
From $100 to $125
Answer: 25% increase
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Understanding Percentages
Learn how to calculate and use percentages effectively

Percentages are a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100. The word "percent" comes from the Latin "per centum," meaning "by the hundred." Understanding percentages is essential for many real-world applications, from calculating discounts and taxes to analyzing data and financial growth.

Basic Percentage Formulas

  • Percentage of a number: (Percentage ÷ 100) × Number
  • What percent: (Part ÷ Whole) × 100
  • Percentage change: ((New Value - Old Value) ÷ Old Value) × 100

Common Uses of Percentages

Percentages are used in many areas of daily life, including calculating tips at restaurants, determining discounts during sales, analyzing test scores, measuring business growth, and understanding interest rates on loans and investments.

Tips for Working with Percentages

  • Remember that 100% equals the whole amount
  • To convert a decimal to a percentage, multiply by 100
  • To convert a percentage to a decimal, divide by 100
  • When calculating percentage increases, the result can exceed 100%
  • Percentage decreases cannot exceed 100%

Real-World Applications

Understanding percentages helps in making informed financial decisions, comparing statistics, analyzing business performance, and solving everyday problems involving proportions and ratios.