How to Calculate Percentage in Excel 2016? (with Pictures)

We know various methods to calculate the percentage. Even the excel provides us with several ways to calculate the percentage. Percentage is a value that is a proportion, in relation to the whole data.

We can calculate the percentage for certain marks in examination, or calculating % discount for various prices, the percentage change between two numbers and so on.

For calculating percentage first confirm that the cell you are working on is in a percentage format or the parameter you take for calculations has values in terms of percentage. Now, you can build a formula to calculate percentage in a cell with percentage format.

Although we have a wide usage of calculating the percentage. We will discuss some of them below:

Percentage of a whole
Percentage of a Number
Increase & Decrease a Number by Percentage
Percentage Change between Two Numbers

Steps to Calculate Percentage in Excel 2016:

Before discussing the example for calculating percentage let us see, how to format a cell into percentage?

Step 1: Select a cell that you want to format into a percentage. Right-click on it and select Format Cells among the options.

Step 2: A Format Cells dialog box will appear. Here, in Category select Percentage and in Decimal places select up to how many places you want to see numbers after the decimal. Click OK.

Step 1: You can directly change the format of a cell into Percentage by selecting Percentage, in the drop-down box of Number group of Home tab.

Done you have formatted the cell to show data in percentage.

Percentage of a Total

The best example of this scenario would be calculating the percentage for a test.

See the image below, in a cell C2 we total number of marks for which the test was conducted. In cell B1 we have the number scored in the test by Stieve.

Now, to calculate the percentage of marks, obtain by Stieve in the test, we have to type the formula.

=B21/C1 (confirm that the cell having formula is in a percentage format)

Press Enter to obtain the result.

Percentage of a Number

Here, we can use the example of calculating the amount, for certain discount on the original price.

In the cell B2, we have the original price for the shirt and in the C2 we have the discount offered on the original price in terms of percentage.

Now, we have to calculate the amount that will be reduced from the original price after applying a discount. So in cell D2, I have typed a formula:

=B1*C1

The original price of shirt $80 would be reduced by the $12. Now, the customer has to pay $68.

Note: Here, the discount value is with the % sign which automatically takes the value 15 % as 0.15. Here, we have taken the values in percentage so, we do not need to format the cell with formula into Percentage.

Increase & Decrease a Number by Percentage

We come across this scenario when we get a hike in our salary. Say it announced that your salary has been increased by 10% then how would you calculate the amount of your new salary?

Say your current salary amount is SA, then the formula for the new salary amount would be:

=SA + SA * 10%

Or it can be written as:

= SA * ( 1 + 10% )

In the image below, cell B1 has the current salary of Stieve and cell C1 has increase in the percentage of salary.

So, to calculate the new salary of Stieve the formula will be:

= B1*(1+C1)

The new salary amount of Stieve is 880.

Now, let us study decrease the number by percentage. Consider that the price of a daily product item say sugar falls down by 3%. Then how would you calculate the decreased price of sugar?

The formula to calculate the new decreased price of sugar is:

Say the price of sugar is S:

= S – S * 3%

= S * (1 – 3%)

In the image below you can see that in cell B1 we have the current price of the sugar and in cell C1 we have the % decrease in the price.

To calculate the new decreased price of sugar we apply the formula

=B1 *(1- C1)

The new decreased price of sugar is 77.6.

Percentage change between two number

Now let us take the above example of an increase in salary of Stieve. Earlier, the salary of Stieve was $800 and the new salary of Stieve is $880. Now, we will check the percentage change in the salary of Stieve.

The general formula for evaluating the percentage change between two numbers is:

=(New Value – Old Value) / Old Value

So, the formula to evaluate the percentage change in the salary of Stieve is:

=(C1-B1)/B1 (Keep the formula in the cell, with Percentage format)