How the percentage calculator works
Percentages describe a part of a whole out of 100. This tool covers the four most common percentage problems people search for. To find X% of Y, we multiply Y by X divided by 100 — so 20% of 500 is (20/100) × 500 = 100.
Percentage increase and decrease
To find a percentage increase from an old value to a new value, we take the difference, divide by the original value, and multiply by 100. Percentage decrease works the same way in reverse. Percentage difference is slightly different — it compares two values against their average, which is useful when neither number is clearly the "original."
Worked example
Say your salary went from ₹40,000 to ₹46,000. The increase is ₹6,000, divided by the original ₹40,000, times 100 — a 15% increase.