How to Work Out Percentage Increase

April 25, 2025 6 min read

Understanding how to calculate percentage increase is a valuable skill, applicable in various real-life scenarios. Whether you're tracking the growth of your investments, analyzing sales figures, or simply trying to understand price changes, knowing how to work out percentage increase provides critical insights. But it doesn't have to be complicated! With our percentage calculator, you can solve these problems with ease.

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At PercentageFinder.org, we offer a comprehensive tool designed to simplify percentage calculations. You can effortlessly find what percent of a number is, determine what percentage one number is of another, and, of course, calculate percentage increases and decreases. Solve your percentage problems quickly and accurately on your phone or computer!

The Percentage Increase Formula

The fundamental formula for calculating percentage increase is:

Percentage Increase = [(New Value - Original Value) / Original Value] * 100

Let's break this down with an example:

  1. Identify the Original and New Values: Suppose a product's price increased from $50 to $75.
  2. Calculate the Difference: Subtract the original value from the new value: $75 - $50 = $25.
  3. Divide by the Original Value: Divide the difference by the original value: $25 / $50 = 0.5.
  4. Multiply by 100: Multiply the result by 100 to express it as a percentage: 0.5 * 100 = 50%.

Therefore, the percentage increase in the product's price is 50%.

A Simpler Way: Using PercentageFinder.org's Calculator

While understanding the formula is helpful, our calculator eliminates the need for manual calculations. Simply input the original and new values into the designated boxes, and the calculator will instantly display the percentage increase. This feature is perfect for quick calculations and those who prefer a hassle-free experience.

Let's revisit the previous example using the percentage finder:

  1. Enter the original value ($50) into the "Starting Value" Box.
  2. Enter the final value ($75) into the "Final Value" Box.
  3. Click calculate and that is it! We take care of the maths and show you the answer.

Real-World Applications of Percentage Increase

Percentage increase is a versatile tool applicable in various scenarios:

  • Finance: Tracking the growth of investments, calculating returns, and analyzing financial performance.
  • Sales: Measuring sales growth, comparing sales figures across different periods, and assessing marketing campaign effectiveness.
  • Business: Analyzing revenue growth, monitoring cost increases, and evaluating project profitability.
  • Personal Life: Understanding price changes, tracking weight loss progress, and monitoring personal financial goals.

Percentage Increase vs. Percentage Change

It's important to distinguish between percentage increase and overall percentage change. Percentage increase specifically refers to a positive change in value. Percentage change, on the other hand, can represent both increases and decreases. Our calculator handles both scenarios, providing accurate results regardless of the direction of change. You can even quickly work out if you have a percentage decrease. Positive numbers show an increase, and negative numbers show a decrease.

Beyond Percentage Increase: Other Useful Calculations

Our percentage calculator offers more than just percentage increase calculations. You can also use it to:

  • Find What Percent of a Number Is: Determine the value of a specific percentage of a given number (e.g., what is 15% of 200?). Go to https://percentagefinder.org/blog/work-out-percentage
  • Calculate What Percentage One Number Is of Another: Determine the percentage representation of one number in relation to another (e.g., 30 is what percent of 150?). Go to https://percentagefinder.org/blog/work-out-percentage-of-two-numbers

These additional functionalities make our calculator a comprehensive tool for all your percentage-related needs.

Calculate Percentage Increase Over Time

Sometimes, you need to calculate the increase over a period of time. For example, you might want to know the annual increase in sales over five years. In such cases, you will need to adjust the basic formula to account for the time period involved.

The formula to calculate the percentage increase over time is as follows:

  1. Subtract the initial value from the final value.
  2. Divide the difference by the absolute value of the initial value.
  3. Multiply this number by 100 to get the percentage change.
  4. Divide the percentage change by the period of time between the numbers.

For more complex scenarios, our calculator can handle these calculations efficiently, saving you time and effort.

Why Choose PercentageFinder.org?

Our percentage calculator stands out for its:

  • Ease of Use: Simple and intuitive interface for effortless calculations.
  • Accuracy: Reliable results you can trust.
  • Versatility: Handles various percentage calculations beyond just percentage increase.
  • Accessibility: Works seamlessly on both phones and computers.

Don't waste time with manual calculations or complex spreadsheets. Let our percentage calculator handle the math, so you can focus on analyzing the results and making informed decisions. Try it out today and experience the simplicity and accuracy for yourself!

For a deeper dive into percentage calculations, explore our other articles: Calculating the Percentage of Two Numbers, Calculating Percentage Number. These resources can offer additional insights and enhance your understanding of percentage-related concepts.