Increase Calculator

Q: What formula does this calculator use to find the new value?

The calculator uses the formula New Value = Original × (1 + Percent ÷ 100) . For example, if your original value is 200 and you increase by 15%, it computes 200 × 1.15, which equals 230.

Q: Can I use this calculator for percentage decreases?

Yes. In the Find New Value mode, just enter a negative percentage. For example, entering -20 will calculate a 20% decrease. In the Find Percentage Increase mode, the calculator automatically detects a decrease when the new value is smaller than the original.

Q: How do I enter time values into the calculator?

In the Find Percentage Increase mode, you can type time in the format minutes:seconds (like 1:30) or hours:minutes:seconds (like 0:45:00). The calculator converts these to seconds before doing the math.

Q: Does changing the decimal places require me to press Calculate again?

No. When you change the Decimal Places setting, the result updates instantly. You do not need to press Calculate again.

Increase Calculator

Updated Jun 26, 2026 By Jehan Wadia

Introduction

This increase calculator helps you work with percentage increases and decreases quickly. It has two simple modes. In the first mode, you enter a starting number and a percentage, and the tool finds the new value after the increase. In the second mode, you enter two numbers, and it tells you the percentage change between them.

You can use this calculator for many everyday tasks. Find a price after a markup, see how much a bill went up, or check how your test scores changed over time. It even works with time values like 1:30 or 0:45:00, so you can compare durations too.

Every calculation comes with a step-by-step solution that shows the math behind the answer. A bar chart gives you a clear visual comparison of your original and new values. You can also pick how many decimal places you want in your result, from 0 to 4. Just enter your numbers, press Calculate, and get your answer right away.

How to Use Our Increase Calculator

This increase calculator has two modes. The first mode finds a new value after a percentage increase. The second mode finds the percentage increase between two numbers. Pick your mode using the tabs at the top.

Mode 1: Find New Value

Original Value — Enter the number you want to start with. This is the number before any increase or decrease is applied.

Increase By (%) — Enter the percentage you want to increase by. Use a negative number if you want to calculate a percentage decrease instead.

Mode 2: Find Percentage Increase

Original Value (V1) — Enter your starting number. You can also type a time value like 1:30 or 0:45:00, and the calculator will convert it to seconds.

New Value (V2) — Enter the number after the change. This field also accepts time formats just like V1.

Additional Settings

Decimal Places — Choose how many decimal places you want in your result. The default is 2. Changing this updates the result right away.

Press the Calculate button to see your result. The calculator will show the answer, a step-by-step solution, and a bar chart that compares the two values. Press Clear to reset all fields back to their defaults.

What Is Percentage Increase?

A percentage increase tells you how much a number has grown compared to its starting value. For example, if a shirt costs $50 and the price goes up by 10%, the new price is $55. The $5 difference is the increase, and 10% describes how big that increase is relative to the original price.

How to Calculate Percentage Increase

There are two common things people need to find. The first is the new value after a percentage increase. To get this, multiply the original number by 1 plus the percentage divided by 100. The formula looks like this:

New Value = Original × (1 + Percent ÷ 100)

The second is the percentage change between two numbers. To find this, subtract the old value from the new value, divide by the old value, and multiply by 100:

Percentage Change = ((New Value − Old Value) ÷ |Old Value|) × 100

A positive result means an increase. A negative result means a decrease. If you need to find the percent difference between two values regardless of direction, that uses a slightly different formula.

When You Might Need This

Percentage increase shows up in everyday life more than you might think. You use it when comparing prices, tracking salary raises, measuring population growth, or checking how your grades changed from one test to the next. Business owners use it to measure revenue growth and return on investment. Athletes use it to track improvements in pace or distance over time.

Increase vs. Decrease

This calculator handles both directions. If you enter a negative percentage in the "Find New Value" mode, it calculates a decrease instead. In the "Find Percentage Increase" mode, if the new value is smaller than the original, the result automatically shows as a percentage decrease. For calculations focused specifically on reductions, you can also try our dedicated percentage decrease calculator.

Formulas used

New Value after Percentage Increase

\text{New Value} = O \times \left(1 + \frac{p}{100}\right)

Percentage Change between Two Values

\%\;\text{Change} = \frac{V_2 - V_1}{\left|V_1\right|} \times 100

Frequently asked questions

What formula does this calculator use to find the new value?

The calculator uses the formula New Value = Original × (1 + Percent ÷ 100). For example, if your original value is 200 and you increase by 15%, it computes 200 × 1.15, which equals 230.

Can I use this calculator for percentage decreases?

Yes. In the Find New Value mode, just enter a negative percentage. For example, entering -20 will calculate a 20% decrease. In the Find Percentage Increase mode, the calculator automatically detects a decrease when the new value is smaller than the original.

How do I enter time values into the calculator?

In the Find Percentage Increase mode, you can type time in the format minutes:seconds (like 1:30) or hours:minutes:seconds (like 0:45:00). The calculator converts these to seconds before doing the math.

What happens if I set the original value to zero?

The calculator will show an error message. You cannot divide by zero, so percentage change cannot be calculated when the original value is 0.

Can I use decimal numbers?

Yes. Both modes accept decimal numbers. For example, you can enter 3.75 as your original value or 12.5 as your percentage. The Decimal Places dropdown also lets you control how many decimals appear in the result.

Does changing the decimal places require me to press Calculate again?

No. When you change the Decimal Places setting, the result updates instantly. You do not need to press Calculate again.

How do I read the bar chart?

The bar chart shows two bars side by side. The first bar represents your original value, and the second bar represents the new value. This gives you a quick visual sense of how much the value changed.

What does the step-by-step solution show?

It breaks down the entire calculation into individual steps. It shows the formula used, how your numbers are substituted in, the intermediate math, and the final answer. Click Show Calculation Steps to expand it.

Can I enter negative numbers as values?

Yes. The calculator accepts negative numbers in both modes. For example, you can calculate the percentage change from -50 to -30, and it will give you the correct result.

Is a 50% increase followed by a 50% decrease the same as the original?

No. A 50% increase on 100 gives you 150. A 50% decrease on 150 gives you 75, not 100. The percentage is applied to a different base each time, so they do not cancel out.

How do I reset the calculator?

Press the Clear button. This sets all input fields back to their default values, switches to the Find New Value mode, and resets decimal places to 2.

Can I compare two time durations to find the percentage change?

Yes. Switch to the Find Percentage Increase mode and enter both durations using the time format (like 1:30 for 1 minute 30 seconds). The calculator converts them to seconds and finds the percentage change between them.

What is the difference between percentage increase and percentage difference?

Percentage increase measures change from a specific starting value. Percentage difference compares two values without treating either one as the starting point. Use percentage increase when one value clearly came before the other.

Does the calculator round the result?

Yes. The displayed result is rounded to the number of decimal places you choose. The default is 2 decimal places. You can select anywhere from 0 to 4 using the Decimal Places dropdown.