1. What is Percentage Variation?

Definition: Percentage variation measures the relative change between a new value and an old value, expressed as a percentage.

Purpose: It helps analyze growth, decline, or change in business metrics, scientific measurements, financial data, and other quantitative fields.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( \% Var \) — Percentage variation
• \( V_{new} \) — New value
• \( V_{old} \) — Original/old value

Explanation: The difference between new and old values is divided by the old value to get relative change, then multiplied by 100 to convert to percentage.

3. Interpretation of Results

Positive %: Indicates increase/growth from old to new value
Negative %: Indicates decrease/decline from old to new value
Zero %: No change between values

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both values (new and old). The old value cannot be zero (division by zero is undefined).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between percentage change and difference?
A: Difference is absolute (V_new - V_old), while percentage change is relative to the original value.

Q2: Can percentage variation be over 100%?
A: Yes, when the new value is more than double the old value.

Q3: What if my old value is zero?
A: Percentage change is undefined when dividing by zero. Consider alternative metrics in such cases.

Q4: How is this different from percentage points?
A: Percentage points measure absolute difference between percentages, while percentage variation measures relative change.

Q5: When is percentage variation most useful?
A: When comparing changes across different scales or when relative change matters more than absolute difference.