Excel Magic Trick # 267: Percentage Change Formula & Chart

Learn about the universal formula for Percentage Change: (End Value)/Beg Value) - 1 = Percentage Change. The see how to create and format a chart with two data series and two chart types in one chart: Line Chart and Column Chart.

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  Science & Technology

[cuteangel2282]

Thank you so much , your video was of so much help

[ExcelIsFun]

You are welcome!

[Ryane3333]

Hello! I just wanted to quickly write that you helped me so much with the tutorial. you saved me a lot of time and frustration. So thanks again.

[ExcelIsFun]

You are welcome!

[TheHexAgony]

Just going to point out that, in fact, the formula a/b-1 gives you the change - not the percent change. (a/b-1)*100 gives you the percent change. The way you have designed this spreadsheet we are told that the percent change between $1,000 and $1,1200 is only 0.12% while in fact it is 12%.

[ExcelIsFun]

However, I may have been incorrect in my language in the video by using the term percentage. But the bottom line, when you see the number 0.12 or the percentage 12%, the machine uses only the 0.12 for calculating and the 12% is not a number it is a formatted symbolic representation of a number.

[moazzamca1]

Infact every excel lover has a lot of fun with excel

[ExcelIsFun]

, mathematically (End-beg)/beg is the same as End/Beg - 1.

[Jared Chewitt]

hey, I'm having some problems analyzing some experimental data. I'm trying to get peak values from the graphs that I'm generating but to no avail.

once i obtain these peak values I need to get the corresponding values that are 5% above and 5% below those peak values. could you offer some assistance?( is excel capable of giving me this peak value?)

[ExcelIsFun]

That is not correct. (a/b-1)*100 is a formula that was invented before calculators. The *100 is just for the facade: it is just a formatting that you use on paper. In calculators and Excel, when you apply the % format, the decimal number is still being used by the code underneath. 0.12 is a number. 12% is a symbolic formatted representation of the number 0.12. As an example, does 0.12 = 12? The answer is FALSE. So when you multiple a/b-1*100 you are fundamentally changing the number.

[ExcelIsFun]

Try right-clicking the axis and point to Format, then there should be settings to do what you want.

[Jonnycakes83]

Awesome video and a great reminder as to why Excel is such an essential business tool!

Quick question for you: I do everything EXACTLY as instructed, but the months end up showing in the middle of the graph instead of as a legend at the bottom. I can't figure it out. Suggestion?