How to Calculate Percentage: Easy Formula, Examples & Calculator

What is Percentage?

Percentage means "per hundred" (Latin: per centum). It's a way to express a number as a fraction of 100. The symbol % represents percentage.

Example: 50% = 50/100 = 0.5 = Half

Basic Percentage Formula

Formula 1: Find Percentage of a Number

Percentage = (Part / Whole) × 100

Example: What percentage is 25 out of 200?

Percentage = (25 / 200) × 100 = 12.5%

Formula 2: Find Value from Percentage

Value = (Percentage / 100) × Total

Example: What is 15% of ₹5,000?

Value = (15 / 100) × 5000 = ₹750

Calculate instantly: Percentage Calculator

Types of Percentage Calculations

1. Simple Percentage

Finding what percent one number is of another.

Formula: (Number1 / Number2) × 100

Example: 40 is what % of 160?

(40 / 160) × 100 = 25%

2. Percentage Increase

Calculating growth or increment.

Formula: [(New Value - Old Value) / Old Value] × 100

Example: Price increased from ₹1,000 to ₹1,200

[(1200 - 1000) / 1000] × 100 = 20% increase

3. Percentage Decrease

Calculating reduction or discount.

Formula: [(Old Value - New Value) / Old Value] × 100

Example: Discount from ₹2,000 to ₹1,600

[(2000 - 1600) / 2000] × 100 = 20% decrease

4. Percentage Change

Can be increase or decrease.

Formula: [(New - Old) / Old] × 100

Positive result = Increase
Negative result = Decrease

Real-World Percentage Examples

Shopping & Discounts

Problem: A shirt costs ₹1,500. There's a 30% discount. What's the final price?

Step 1: Calculate discount amount

Discount = (30/100) × 1500 = ₹450

Step 2: Subtract from original price

Final Price = 1500 - 450 = ₹1,050

Quick calculation: Discount Calculator

Salary & Increments

Problem: Your salary is ₹50,000. You get a 15% hike. What's your new salary?

Step 1: Calculate increment

Increment = (15/100) × 50000 = ₹7,500

Step 2: Add to current salary

New Salary = 50000 + 7500 = ₹57,500

Check with: Salary Calculator

Exam Marks & Grades

Problem: You scored 425 out of 500. What's your percentage?

Calculation:

Percentage = (425/500) × 100 = 85%

Convert to GPA: Percentage to GPA Calculator

GST & Taxes

Problem: Product price is ₹10,000. GST is 18%. What's the total?

Step 1: Calculate GST

GST = (18/100) × 10000 = ₹1,800

Step 2: Add to base price

Total = 10000 + 1800 = ₹11,800

Calculate GST: GST Calculator

Loan & Interest

Problem: Loan of ₹5,00,000 at 8% annual interest. What's the yearly interest?

Calculation:

Interest = (8/100) × 500000 = ₹40,000/year

Plan your loan: EMI Calculator

Percentage Shortcuts & Tricks

Quick Mental Math

10% Trick: Divide by 10

10% of 850 = 85

5% Trick: Find 10%, then halve it

5% of 600 = 60 ÷ 2 = 30

25% Trick: Divide by 4

25% of 240 = 60

50% Trick: Divide by 2

50% of 980 = 490

1% Trick: Divide by 100

1% of 3,500 = 35

Combining Percentages

Problem: 15% of 20% of 1,000 = ?

Method 1 (Step-by-step):

20% of 1000 = 200
15% of 200 = 30

Method 2 (Combined):

(15/100) × (20/100) × 1000 = 30

Common Percentage Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1: Adding Percentages Directly

Wrong: 10% increase + 10% increase = 20% increase Right: If ₹100 increases by 10% = ₹110, then another 10% = ₹121 (21% total)

❌ Mistake 2: Reversing Increase/Decrease

Wrong: Item increased 25% then decreased 25% = same price Right: ₹100 → +25% = ₹125 → -25% = ₹93.75 (not ₹100!)

❌ Mistake 3: Wrong Base Value

Problem: Salary increased from ₹40,000 to ₹50,000. What's the percentage?

Wrong: (50000/40000) × 100 = 125% Right: [(50000-40000)/40000] × 100 = 25% increase

❌ Mistake 4: Percentage vs Percentage Points

Interest rate changed from 5% to 8%:

Percentage increase: 60% increase [(8-5)/5 × 100]
Percentage points: 3 percentage points [8-5]

Percentage Conversion Table

| Fraction | Decimal | Percentage | |----------|---------|------------| | 1/4 | 0.25 | 25% | | 1/2 | 0.50 | 50% | | 3/4 | 0.75 | 75% | | 1/3 | 0.333... | 33.33% | | 2/3 | 0.666... | 66.67% | | 1/5 | 0.20 | 20% | | 1/8 | 0.125 | 12.5% | | 1/10 | 0.10 | 10% |

Convert fractions: Fraction Calculator | Fraction to Decimal

Percentage in Different Fields

Finance & Banking

Interest rates on loans and deposits
SIP Returns
Investment Growth
ROI Calculation
Compound Interest

Business & Commerce

Profit margins and markups
Profit Margin Calculator
Sales commissions
Discount Calculator
Revenue growth

Education & Grades

Exam scores and percentages
GPA Calculator
CGPA Calculator
Grade Calculator
Attendance tracking

Health & Fitness

Body fat percentage
BMI Calculation
Calorie Deficit
Nutrient breakdown
Weight loss progress

Statistics & Research

Survey results
Growth rates
Error margins
Probability calculations

Advanced Percentage Formulas

Compound Percentage

When percentage is applied repeatedly.

Formula: Final = Initial × (1 + r/100)^n

Where:

Initial = Starting value
r = Rate per period
n = Number of periods

Example: ₹1,000 growing at 10% for 3 years

Final = 1000 × (1.10)³ = ₹1,331

Calculate with: Compound Interest Calculator

Weighted Average Percentage

When different percentages apply to different portions.

Example: Exam scores

Theory (60% weightage): 80% marks
Practical (40% weightage): 90% marks
Overall = (80×0.6) + (90×0.4) = 48 + 36 = 84%

Practice Problems

Problem 1: What is 35% of 2,400?

<details> <summary>Click for answer</summary> Answer: (35/100) × 2400 = **840** </details>

Problem 2: 156 is what percent of 600?

<details> <summary>Click for answer</summary> Answer: (156/600) × 100 = **26%** </details>

Problem 3: Increase ₹5,500 by 18%

<details> <summary>Click for answer</summary> Answer: 5500 + (18/100)×5500 = 5500 + 990 = **₹6,490** </details>

Problem 4: Decrease ₹12,000 by 25%

<details> <summary>Click for answer</summary> Answer: 12000 - (25/100)×12000 = 12000 - 3000 = **₹9,000** </details>

Percentage Calculators for Every Need

General Calculators

Percentage Calculator - All types of % calculations
Discount Calculator - Sale prices & savings
Tip Calculator - Restaurant tips

Financial Calculators

EMI Calculator - Loan installments
SIP Calculator - Investment returns
Profit Margin Calculator - Business margins
ROI Calculator - Return on investment

Tax Calculators

GST Calculator - Tax calculations
Income Tax Calculator - Tax planning

Education Calculators

GPA Calculator - Grade points
CGPA Calculator - Cumulative GPA
Percentage to GPA - Convert marks

Conclusion

Percentage calculations are everywhere - from shopping discounts to loan interest, exam scores to business profits. Master these formulas and use our free calculators to solve any percentage problem instantly!

Quick Tips to Remember:

Always identify the whole (base value)
Use the correct formula for your calculation type
Double-check increase vs decrease calculations
Practice mental math shortcuts for common percentages
Use calculators for complex or important calculations

👉 Start calculating now: Free Percentage Calculator

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