Percentage Decrease Calculator

What “Percentage Decrease” Means

A percentage decrease tells you how much something shrank, compared to where it started. As with an increase, the comparison is what matters: dropping by 12 is a big fall from 80 but barely a dent from 8,000. So we measure the drop as a fraction of the original amount, then turn it into a percent.

The bars under the calculator show it: the original value, then the new (smaller) value, with the part that was lost highlighted in red.

Percentage Decrease Formula

Use this formula when a value goes down:

$$\text{percentage decrease} = \frac{\text{original} - \text{new}}{\text{original}} \times 100$$

The result tells you how large the drop is compared with the original value.

Worked Examples

Original	New	Decrease	Percentage decrease
100	75	25	25%
60	48	12	20%
250	200	50	20%
90	72	18	20%

Common Uses

• Store discounts.
• Price drops.
• Lower monthly costs.
• Fewer points, votes, sales, or visits.
• Classroom percent change practice.

Step-by-Step Example

A jacket drops from 120 to 90.

1. Subtract: 120 - 90 = 30.
2. Divide by the original value: 30 / 120 = 0.25.
3. Multiply by 100: 0.25 x 100 = 25%.

The percentage decrease is 25%.

FAQ

Is a discount a percentage decrease?

Yes. A 30% discount means the price decreased by 30% from the original price.

What if the new value is higher?

Use the percentage increase calculator instead.