💡 Common Examples

  • 📦 10% off $49.99 → $4.99 discount → Pay $44.99
  • 💰 15% tip on $60 → $9.00 tip → Total $69
  • 📈 Score 80 → 95 → +18.75% improvement
  • 🎯 30 out of 120 → 25%
  • 🛒 HST (13%) on $100 → $13 tax → Total $113

Percentage Formulas

Problem Formula
X% of YY × (X ÷ 100)
A is what % of B?(A ÷ B) × 100
% change from A to B((B − A) ÷ A) × 100
Add X% to a pricePrice × (1 + X ÷ 100)
Remove X% from pricePrice × (1 − X ÷ 100)

To reverse a tax (e.g. extract 5% GST): divide total by 1.05 to get the pre-tax price.

Percentage Calculator FAQ

Multiply the number by the percentage and divide by 100. For example, 15% of 200 = (15 × 200) ÷ 100 = 30. You can also convert the percentage to a decimal and multiply: 0.15 × 200 = 30. Use the "X% of Y" tab — enter the percentage and the number to get your result instantly.

Percentage change = ((New Value − Original Value) ÷ Original Value) × 100. If a price went from $80 to $100: ((100 − 80) ÷ 80) × 100 = 25% increase. A negative result means the value decreased. The direction matters — always put the earlier number as "original" and the later as "new."

To find the discount amount: multiply the original price by the discount percentage, then divide by 100. To find the sale price: multiply the original price by (1 − discount/100). Example: 20% off $50 — discount = $10, sale price = $40. Use the "X% of Y" tab with the discount percentage and original price.

Ontario HST is 13% — multiply any price by 0.13 to get the tax, or by 1.13 to get the total including tax. Alberta charges only 5% GST (no provincial tax). BC charges 12% (5% GST + 7% PST). Quebec charges 14.975% (5% GST + 9.975% QST). For all provinces, use our dedicated GST/HST calculator.

Multiply the bill amount by the tip percentage divided by 100. For an 18% tip on a $75 bill: 75 × 0.18 = $13.50 tip, total = $88.50. In Canada, 15–20% is standard for restaurant service. Use the "X% of Y" tab — enter 18 as the percentage and your pre-tax bill as the number to get the exact tip amount.

About This Calculator

This percentage calculator combines three tools in one page because percentage problems come in three forms: finding what X% of a number is, finding what percentage one number is of another, and finding how much something has changed as a percentage. Each tab is optimized for one of these use cases, with a step-by-step breakdown of the calculation so you can verify the math or adapt it to slightly different situations.

Percentage calculations come up constantly in everyday Canadian life — calculating GST or HST on a purchase, figuring out a tip at a restaurant, comparing two prices, tracking investment returns, or converting a test score to a grade. The "X% of Y" tab handles discounts, taxes, and tips. The "% Change" tab handles salary increases, price changes, and performance comparisons. The "X is what % of Y" tab handles grade calculations, ratios, and budget allocations.

One common point of confusion: percentage increase and percentage decrease are not symmetric. A 50% increase followed by a 50% decrease does not return you to the original number — you end up with 75% of what you started with. This is because each percentage is calculated on a different base. The Percentage Change tab always makes clear what the base is, so you can catch these asymmetries before they create surprises.