How to Calculate Percentages
Updated 2026-10-30
Quick answer: Percent means 'per hundred'. X% of Y = X ÷ 100 × Y; X as a percentage of Y = X ÷ Y × 100; percentage change = (new − old) ÷ old × 100. A salary going from ₹8 lakh to ₹10 lakh is a 25% hike.
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The three formulas
- 15% of 2,000 = 0.15 × 2,000 = 300
- 45 out of 60 = 45 ÷ 60 × 100 = 75%
- 80 → 100 = (100 − 80) ÷ 80 × 100 = 25% increase
Common traps
Percentage changes don't cancel out: −20% then +20% leaves you at 96% of the start. And a change from 10% to 12% is 2 percentage points but a 20% relative increase.
FAQs
How do I reverse a percentage increase?
Divide by (1 + rate). A price of ₹118 after an 18% increase was ₹118 ÷ 1.18 = ₹100.