Percentage Calculator
Three everyday percentage calculations in one place — pick a mode, enter two numbers, and see the answer with the formula used.
20% of 500
Formula used
The three percentage formulas
- X% of Y = (X ÷ 100) × Y. Example: 20% of ₹500 = (20 ÷ 100) × 500 = ₹100.
- X is what % of Y = (X ÷ Y) × 100. Example: 45 marks out of 60 = (45 ÷ 60) × 100 = 75%.
- % change from X to Y = ((Y − X) ÷ X) × 100. Example: a salary rises ₹40,000 → ₹46,000 = ((46,000 − 40,000) ÷ 40,000) × 100 = 15% increase.
Per cent literally means "per hundred". A percentage is just a fraction with 100 as the denominator — that's why dividing by 100 turns a percentage into the decimal you multiply with.
Percentages in everyday Indian life
Percentages run through daily life in India. Shopping discounts ("flat 30% off"), GST (5%, 18% or 40% on prices), salary appraisals ("a 12% hike"), board exam marks, FD and loan interest rates, and stock-market returns all speak percentages. Two traps catch people out. First, percentage points vs percent: a rate rising from 8% to 10% is a 2 percentage-point rise but a 25% relative increase. Second, compounding discounts: "20% off, then 10% off" is not 30% off — it's 28% off, because the second discount applies to the already-reduced price.
Worked examples
| Question | Calculation | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 15% of ₹2,000 | (15 ÷ 100) × 2,000 | ₹300 |
| ₹850 is what % of ₹1,000? | (850 ÷ 1,000) × 100 | 85% |
| % change: ₹1,200 → ₹900 | ((900 − 1,200) ÷ 1,200) × 100 | 25% decrease |
| Original price after 20% discount to ₹800 | 800 ÷ (1 − 0.20) | ₹1,000 |
How to use this percentage calculator
- Pick a mode: X% of Y, X is what % of Y, or % change from X to Y.
- Enter the two numbers, X and Y.
- Press Calculate — the answer appears with the exact formula and working shown.
Calculating your marks percentage
The most common percentage question in India is exam marks. Add up the marks you scored, divide by the maximum total, and multiply by 100. Say you scored 456 out of 600: (456 ÷ 600) × 100 = 76.00%. That is the X is what % of Y mode above, with X = 456 and Y = 600. The same method works subject by subject — and to turn a CGPA into a percentage instead, use the CGPA calculator.
Discounts: finding the price you actually pay
A discount is just X% of the price, subtracted. A shirt marked ₹1,499 with 30% off: 30% of ₹1,499 is ₹449.70, so you pay ₹1,499 − ₹449.70 = ₹1,049.30. And when two offers compete — say 40% off one shirt versus buy one get one free — convert both into the final price per shirt before you decide. The louder offer is not always the cheaper one.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate X percent of Y?
Multiply X by Y and divide by 100. For example, 20% of 500 = (20 × 500) ÷ 100 = 100. Use the 'X% of Y' mode above.
How do I find what percentage one number is of another?
Divide the part by the whole and multiply by 100. For example, 45 marks out of 60 = (45 ÷ 60) × 100 = 75%. Use the 'X is what % of Y' mode above.
How do you calculate percentage increase or decrease?
Subtract the old value from the new value, divide by the old value and multiply by 100: ((New − Old) ÷ Old) × 100. A positive answer is an increase; a negative answer is a decrease. Use the '% change' mode above.
How do I reverse a percentage — find the original price after a discount?
Divide the discounted price by (1 − discount ÷ 100). If an item costs ₹800 after a 20% discount, the original price was 800 ÷ 0.8 = ₹1,000.
What is the difference between percentage points and percent?
A move from 10% to 15% is a 5 percentage-point rise but a 50% relative increase. Percentage points measure the absolute gap; percent measures the change relative to the starting value.
How do I calculate the percentage of marks?
Add up the marks you scored, divide by the total maximum marks, and multiply by 100. For example, 456 out of 600 is (456 ÷ 600) × 100 = 76%. In the calculator above, use the X is what % of Y mode — X is your score and Y is the total.