Percentage Calculator

To calculate a percentage of a number, multiply the number by the percentage divided by 100. For example, to find 15% of 200, you calculate 200 × (15 ÷ 100) = 200 × 0.15 = 30. So, 15% of 200 is 30. This method works for any percentage and any number. If you're calculating a tip on a $60 bill at 18%, you'd do 60 × 0.18 = 10.80, meaning the tip is $10.80. For discounts, if a $120 item is 25% off, the discount is 120 × 0.25 = 30, so you pay $90. Remember that the order doesn't matter: 20% of 50 is the same as 50% of 20. Both equal 10. If you need to find what percentage one number is of another, use the formula (part ÷ whole) × 100. For instance, 30 out of 150 is (30 ÷ 150) × 100 = 20%. Our percentage calculator automates this process, ensuring accuracy every time. For related calculations like percentage increase or decrease, try our percentage change calculator.

The basic percentage formula is: Percentage = (Part ÷ Whole) × 100. This tells you what percent 'Part' is of 'Whole'. For example, if you have 20 apples out of 50 total, the percentage is (20 ÷ 50) × 100 = 40%. Conversely, to find a percentage of a number, use: Result = (Percentage ÷ 100) × Number. So, 25% of 80 is (25 ÷ 100) × 80 = 0.25 × 80 = 20. Another common formula is for percentage change: ((New Value - Old Value) ÷ Old Value) × 100. If a stock goes from $50 to $60, the change is ((60 - 50) ÷ 50) × 100 = 20% increase. For discounts, the sale price is Original Price × (1 - Discount Percentage ÷ 100). A $200 item at 30% off costs 200 × (1 - 0.30) = 200 × 0.70 = $140. These formulas are the foundation for all percentage calculations. Our calculator uses the standard percentage engine to compute results instantly. For more complex scenarios, such as percentage increase or difference, explore our dedicated calculators.

Calculating a tip is a common use of percentages. In the US, tips typically range from 15% to 20% of the pre-tax bill. To calculate a 20% tip on a $50 meal, multiply 50 by 0.20 (which is 20 ÷ 100). The result is $10, so you'd leave $60 total. For a 15% tip on the same $50 bill, multiply 50 by 0.15 to get $7.50, totaling $57.50. If you want to tip 18% on a $75 bill, calculate 75 × 0.18 = $13.50, for a total of $88.50. A quick mental trick for 20% is to move the decimal point one place left to find 10%, then double it. For $50, 10% is $5, so 20% is $10. For 15%, find 10% ($5) and add half of that ($2.50) to get $7.50. Many people tip on the pre-tax amount to avoid tipping on tax, but others tip on the total. Our percentage calculator makes it easy: just enter the bill amount and tip percentage. For splitting bills, divide the total by the number of people. If you need to calculate a percentage increase for a raise, check our percentage increase calculator.

To find the percentage increase or decrease between two numbers, use the formula: ((New Value - Old Value) ÷ Old Value) × 100. If the result is positive, it's an increase; if negative, it's a decrease. For example, if your rent goes from $1,200 to $1,350, the increase is ((1350 - 1200) ÷ 1200) × 100 = (150 ÷ 1200) × 100 = 12.5%. So, your rent increased by 12.5%. Conversely, if a $80 shirt is on sale for $60, the decrease is ((60 - 80) ÷ 80) × 100 = (-20 ÷ 80) × 100 = -25%, meaning a 25% discount. When calculating percentage increase, always use the original (old) value as the denominator. A common mistake is to use the new value, which gives a different percentage. For instance, going from 50 to 60 is a 20% increase, but going from 60 to 50 is a 16.67% decrease. This asymmetry is important in finance and statistics. Our percentage change calculator automates this, and our percentage difference calculator helps compare two values without a clear old/new order.

A percentage point is the unit used to describe the arithmetic difference between two percentages. For example, if an interest rate rises from 5% to 7%, that's a 2 percentage point increase. However, the percentage increase is ((7 - 5) ÷ 5) × 100 = 40%. So, the rate increased by 2 percentage points, but by 40% in relative terms. This distinction is crucial in finance, economics, and polling. In elections, if a candidate's support goes from 30% to 35%, that's a 5 percentage point gain, but a 16.67% relative increase. When reading news about interest rates, a hike from 2% to 3% is a 1 percentage point increase, but a 50% increase in the rate itself. Confusing the two can lead to misunderstandings. For instance, a 10% to 20% jump is a 10 percentage point increase, but a 100% relative increase. Our percentage calculators can help you compute both. Use the percentage change calculator for relative changes and simple subtraction for percentage point differences.

To calculate sales tax, multiply the price by the tax rate divided by 100. For example, if you buy a $200 item in a state with 7% sales tax, the tax is 200 × 0.07 = $14, making the total $214. For a 5% tax on $80, the tax is 80 × 0.05 = $4, total $84. To calculate a discount, multiply the original price by the discount percentage divided by 100, then subtract from the original price. If a $150 jacket is 30% off, the discount is 150 × 0.30 = $45, so you pay $105. Alternatively, multiply the original price by (1 - discount rate). For 30% off, 150 × 0.70 = $105. If multiple discounts apply, such as 20% off plus an additional 10% off, apply them sequentially: after 20% off, $150 becomes $120; then 10% off $120 gives $108. Note that combined discounts are not additive: 20% + 10% is not 30% off. Our percentage calculator handles these calculations quickly. For percentage increase, such as a price hike, use the percentage increase calculator.