Percentages (Increase/Decrease) What the....

[awakening]

Did I sleep in class or, why do the same numbers yield a different result?

Value #1: 71
Value #2: 66

Calculating the percentage difference, 71/66 = ~7.58%
However, 66/71 = ~0.93% = 7%

The incremental/decremental difference between the two values are the same no matter if you use 66 or 71 as new/old value.

Why does the calculator display a percentage difference of about 0.58% depending on which way you use the numbers?

The difference is the same to me, is it not, meaning, a value/worth of 5?

 

[lex]

Yes, the absolute difference is 5.

However when you work out a percentage, you are comparing this number with another number. The answer you get depends on what number you are comparing it to.
When you compare 5 to 66 - it is approx 7.58% of that number
When you compare 5 to 71 - it is only approx 7% of that number

I.e. 5 is about 7.58 hundredths of 66
but 5 is about 7 hundredths of 71

When we say e.g. 5 represents 7.58%, we need to know 7.58% of what number!

 

[awakening]

Dude, spot on, never thought of it like that, makes perfect logic, 71 being a higher number/value, the 100% of it is also larger.

Great explanation, thank you very much, thumbs up!

 

[lex]

That's it. It's certainly something worth understanding, as percentages are so common. Glad it helped.

 

[Nicholasbente]

good