Percent Increase

Percent Increase Calculation:

•  i =

  Initial Value

  Starting value that will increase or change

•  p =

  Increase Percent

  After change value for comparison

•  f =

  Final Value

  Initial value plus percent increase, in same units as the initial value

• -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

  Decimals

  Choose the number of decimals to show in your answer. This is also known as significant figures. Select an appropriate amount of significant figures based on the precision of the input numbers.

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Percent Increase Formula

Percent increase combines the original value with a percentage of that value in an additive way. If the percent change is negative this will be the same as a percent decrease.

A percent is the ratio of any value out of 100. In the formula above we divide "p" by 100 to apply that ratio to the original value, "i". The calculation i * p / 100 gives the required percent of the initial value, which is then added to the original value to arrive at the final value with the percent increase.

The vertical bars "|" in the formula mean to take the unsigned, non-negative, value. Without this step any negative initial value would descrease, or become more negative, but we are trying to calculate an increase so any negative signs must be removed here.

Percent Increase Variables

Given some initial value what will the value be after some percent increase? The required information is the original value and a percent value to increase it by.

Initial Value (i)

A starting number to change by some percent of itself. It may be a decimal or negative number. The final value will take on the dimensions of this number. If the number is a speed measurement in miles per hour the final value will also be miles per hour, if the initial value is a price in dollars the final value will be the new price in dollars.

Percent Increase (p)

Percent to increase the initial value by. This value may be given with a decimal or as a negative. If the value is negtive the result will be a descrease from the initial value.

Final Value (f)

Newly calculated value after changing by the given percent of the initial value. This value will have the same units (dimensions) as the initial value.

Percent Increase Solution

What is a 5 percent increase on 15?

Increasing 15 by 5 percent results in a value of 15.75.

Percent Increase Example 170 pounds increased by 10 percent

What will a person's final weight be their initial weight of 170 pounds increases by 10 percent?

A 10 percent increase in weight from an initial weight of 170 pounds (lbs) results in a final weight of 187 lbs. The final value takes on the same unit dimensions as the initial value.

Percent Increase Example 500 changes by -7 percent

Initial value of 500 is changed by -7 percent. The percent increase is a negative number and because a positive and a negative make a negative the result will be a descrease of the initial value.

An increase of a value by some negative value is a decrease. Changing an initial value of 500 by -7 percent results in a final value of 465.