Numbers and measures

Percentage change

How much a number has gone up or down, as a share of where it started.

  • Numbers and measures

Definition

How much a number has gone up or down, as a share of where it started. Divide the new value by the old value, subtract 1 and multiply by 100.

Also called

Growth rate

Example

Skye Ascent made 3 launches in 2024 and 4 in 2025. The percentage change is (4 divided by 3, minus 1) times 100. That is a rise of about 33%.

Skye Ascent Ltd is a fictional company created for Insyt.

See how it works

Starting value100
New value120

(120 − 100) ÷ 100 × 100 = +20%.

Check your understanding

Common mistake: Use the starting value as the denominator for a change from the starting period.

A measure falls from 80 to 60. What is the percentage change?

Show explanation

−25% because (60 − 80) ÷ 80 × 100 = −25%.

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