Percentage Change Word Problems
Calculator Use
This calculator helps you practice word problems that involve percentage change. Use paper to do the math for the given problem, then input your answers here and click the Calculate button. The calculator will evaluate your answers and then show the work so you can learn how to solve the word problem.
Related calculations can be done with Percentage Change Calculator.
You will generally use the percent change calculation when the order of the numbers does matter; you have starting and ending values or an "old number" and a "new number". When you are just comparing 2 numbers you may want to use the percent difference formula and calculation.
How to solve percentage change word problems:
Percentage change is asked for when there is an "old" and "new" number or an "initial" and "final" value. A positive change is expressed as an increase amount of the percentage value while a negative change is expressed as a decrease amount of the absolute value of the percentage value.
Percentage change formula:
Percentage change equals the change in value divided by the absolute value of the original value, multiplied by 100.
Percentage change = ( ΔV ÷ |V1| ) * 100 = ((V2 - V1) ÷ |V1|) * 100
Example problem: An item price was $44.90 in 2015 and $87.80 in 2016. What was the percentage change in item price from 2015 to 2016?
Change is from V1 = 44.90 to V2 = 87.80
[ ((V2 - V1) ÷ |V1|) * 100 ] =
((87.80 - 44.90) ÷ |44.90|) * 100 =
(42.9 / 44.9) * 100 =
0.955457 * 100 =
95.55% change =
95.55% increase