Skip to main content
ToolVerse Smart tools, simple answers.
Find a Tool
Math Calculator

Percentage Calculator

Calculate a percentage of a number, find what percentage one value is of another, or calculate percentage increase and decrease with simple inputs and instant results.

Multiple modes Instant results Free to use
Calculate Percentage

Choose a calculation

Select the percentage problem you want to solve.

of
20% of 500 100 Percentage value
Formula 500 × 20 ÷ 100
Difference 400
Result 100
Calculation

20 percent of 500 is 100.

Percentage Explained

What is a percentage?

A percentage expresses a number as a fraction of 100. The word percent literally means “per hundred.”

For example, 25% means 25 out of every 100. It can also be written as the decimal 0.25 or the fraction 1/4.

How to use the Percentage Calculator

This calculator includes three common percentage calculations so you can choose the type of problem you want to solve.

X% of Y

Find a percentage value of a number, such as 20% of 500.

X is what % of Y

Find what percentage one value represents of another, such as 50 out of 200.

% Change

Measure how much a value increased or decreased compared with its original value.

How to calculate a percentage of a number

To find a percentage of a number, multiply the number by the percentage and divide the result by 100.

Percentage Value = Number × Percentage ÷ 100 Example: 500 × 20 ÷ 100 = 100

Example: what is 20% of 500?

Multiply 500 by 20 and then divide by 100:

500 × 20 ÷ 100 = 100 Therefore, 20% of 500 is 100.

How to find what percentage one number is of another

Divide the first value by the second value and multiply the result by 100.

Percentage = First Value ÷ Second Value × 100 Example: 50 ÷ 200 × 100 = 25%

Example: 50 is what percentage of 200?

50 ÷ 200 × 100 = 25% Therefore, 50 is 25% of 200.

How to calculate percentage increase

Percentage increase compares how much a value has risen with the original value.

Percentage Increase = (New Value − Original Value) ÷ Original Value × 100 Use the original value as the comparison base.

Example: increase from 100 to 125

The increase is 25. Divide 25 by the original value of 100 and multiply by 100.

(125 − 100) ÷ 100 × 100 = 25% The value increased by 25%.

How to calculate percentage decrease

Percentage decrease measures how much a value has fallen compared with its original value.

Percentage Decrease = (Original Value − New Value) ÷ Original Value × 100 Example: from 200 to 150 is a 25% decrease.

Percentage change formula

Increase and decrease can also be represented using one signed percentage-change formula.

% Change = (New − Original) ÷ Original × 100 Positive result = increase. Negative result = decrease.

Percentage vs percentage points

Percentage points describe the direct difference between two percentage values, while percentage change measures the relative change compared with the original percentage.

For example, if a rate moves from 20% to 25%, the direct increase is 5 percentage points.

But compared with the original 20%, the relative increase is:

(25 − 20) ÷ 20 × 100 = 25% 5 percentage points = 25% relative increase in this example.

Percentages greater than 100%

Percentages are not limited to values below 100. A result above 100% means the compared value is larger than the reference value.

For example, 150 is 150% of 100:

150 ÷ 100 × 100 = 150%

Percentage calculations for discounts

Discounts are a common use of percentages. If a product costs ₹2,000 and the discount is 15%, the savings are:

₹2,000 × 15 ÷ 100 = ₹300 Final price = ₹2,000 − ₹300 = ₹1,700

If you want the full sale-price and multiple-discount calculation, use the ToolVerse Discount Calculator.

Percentage calculations for marks and scores

To convert marks or a score into a percentage, divide the marks obtained by the total possible marks and multiply by 100.

Score Percentage = Marks Obtained ÷ Total Marks × 100 Example: 72 ÷ 90 × 100 = 80%

Percentage calculations for price changes

Percentage change can help compare old and new prices. For example, if a price increases from ₹800 to ₹1,000:

(1,000 − 800) ÷ 800 × 100 = 25% The price increased by 25%.

Percentage calculations for finance

Percentages appear throughout everyday finance, including interest rates, loan rates, investment returns, tax rates and discounts.

A percentage calculator can help verify the basic arithmetic, but financial decisions can involve additional formulas and assumptions beyond a simple percentage.

Why the original value matters in percentage change

Percentage change is always measured relative to a starting value. This means reversing a change does not necessarily produce the same percentage.

For example, increasing 100 by 50% gives 150. Reducing 150 by 50% gives 75, not 100.

To return from 150 to 100, the required decrease is:

(150 − 100) ÷ 150 × 100 ≈ 33.33%

Why small starting values can create large percentage changes

Percentage change depends on the original value. When the original value is very small, even a modest absolute change can produce a very large percentage result.

This is why it can be useful to consider both the actual numerical change and the percentage change when comparing values.

Common uses of a Percentage Calculator

Shopping

Calculate discounts, markdowns and sale-price percentages.

Education

Convert marks, scores and test results into percentages.

Finance

Work with interest, tax, growth and rate-based calculations.

Business

Compare sales, costs, revenue or other values over time.

Common percentage mistakes

Wrong base value

Percentage change should normally be divided by the original value, not the new value.

Adding successive percentages

Two percentage changes applied one after another may not be equivalent to simply adding them.

Confusing points and percent

Percentage points and relative percentage change measure different things.

Ignoring context

A percentage can look large even when the absolute numerical change is small.

Important

This Percentage Calculator is provided for general mathematical calculations and everyday estimation. The formulas are useful for comparing values, but the meaning of a percentage can depend on the context in which it is being used.

Financial, tax, legal, academic or other formal decisions may involve additional rules or calculation methods beyond a simple percentage.

FAQs

Percentage calculator questions

Common questions about percentage values, percentage comparisons, percentage change, increases and decreases.

How do I calculate X percent of a number?

Multiply the number by the percentage and divide by 100. For example, 20% of 500 is 500 × 20 ÷ 100 = 100.

How do I find what percentage one number is of another?

Divide the first number by the second number and multiply by 100. For example, 50 is 25% of 200 because 50 ÷ 200 × 100 = 25%.

How is percentage increase calculated?

Subtract the original value from the new value, divide the increase by the original value and multiply by 100.

How is percentage decrease calculated?

Subtract the new value from the original value, divide the decrease by the original value and multiply by 100.

Can percentage change be negative?

Yes. If the new value is lower than the original value, the percentage change is negative and represents a decrease relative to the original value.

What is the difference between percentage and percentage points?

Percentage points describe the direct difference between two percentage values. For example, moving from 20% to 25% is an increase of 5 percentage points, but it is a 25% relative increase compared with the original 20%.

How do I calculate a discount percentage?

A discount percentage can be calculated by dividing the savings amount by the original price and multiplying by 100. For normal shopping discounts, the ToolVerse Discount Calculator can also calculate the final sale price.

How do I calculate marks as a percentage?

Divide the marks obtained by the total possible marks and multiply by 100. For example, 72 out of 90 is 80%.

Can percentages be greater than 100%?

Yes. A percentage can exceed 100% when the value being compared is larger than the reference value. For example, 150 is 150% of 100.

Why can percentage change be misleading when the original value is very small?

Percentage change measures the change relative to the original value. When the original value is very small, even a small absolute change can produce a very large percentage change.