Example
A $250 jacket goes on sale with a 15% discount. What is the sale price?
Vf = 250 × (1 - 15/100) = 250 × 0.85 = 212.5
The sale price is $212.50.
Example
An annual salary of $60,000 is cut by 10% due to reduced hours. What is the new salary?
Vf = 60000 × (1 - 10/100) = 60000 × 0.9 = 54000
The new salary is $54,000.
Example
A city's population of 12,000 falls by 5% after a factory closes. What is the new population?
Vf = 12000 × (1 - 5/100) = 12000 × 0.95 = 11400
The new population is 11,400.
When to use this calculator
Use this when you know the starting value and the percentage decrease, and want the new value. To go the other way — from a known final value back to the original — use the reverse percentage change calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the percentage decrease is 100%?
The value drops to zero: Vf = Vi × (1 - 100/100) = Vi × 0 = 0.
Can the decrease be more than 100%?
Mathematically yes, which produces a negative result — this can make sense for things like a bank balance going into debt, but not for quantities that can't go below zero.
How is this different from the percentage increase calculator?
This calculator subtracts a percentage from a value. To add a percentage instead, use the percentage increase calculator. Related: percentage increase calculator and full formula guide.