Course / Spreadsheet Basics

Percentages and number formats

Percent change, share of total, and formatting numbers so they read clearly. Beginner · 5 min · % change, % of total, Number formats

Two percentage formulas come up all the time:

• Change: =(new - old) / old
• Share of total: =part / total

Both return a decimal like 0.25. Apply a Percent format to display it as 25%. Formatting changes only how a number looks, never its value.

Steps

1. Total both years in B6 and C6.

2. In D2:D5, calculate the percent change for each product: =(C2-B2)/B2

3. Those decimals are hard to read. Select D2:D5 and apply a Percent format with the % toolbar button (or Ctrl+Shift+5).

4. In E2:E5, work out each product's share of this year's total, and format it as a percent. Lock the total with $C$6 so you can copy the formula down.

Remember

• Percent change: =(new-old)/old.
• Share of total: =part/$total$, with the total locked.
• Formats change how numbers look, not what they are.

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