1. What is Rate of Decrease?

The Rate of Decrease measures how much a quantity has decreased relative to its original value, expressed as a percentage. It's commonly used in finance, economics, and science to track declines in values over time.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Rate of Decrease formula:

Where:

• Old Value — The original or starting value
• New Value — The current or ending value

Explanation: The formula calculates the proportional decrease between two values and converts it to a percentage.

3. Importance of Rate of Decrease

Details: Understanding rate of decrease helps in analyzing trends, making comparisons, and decision-making in various fields like business (sales declines), finance (investment losses), and science (reaction rates).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the original value (Old Value) and the current value (New Value). Both values must be positive numbers, with Old Value greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a negative rate of decrease mean?
A: A negative rate indicates an increase rather than a decrease (when New Value > Old Value).

Q2: How is this different from percentage change?
A: Rate of decrease specifically measures reduction, while percentage change can be positive (increase) or negative (decrease).

Q3: What's the maximum possible rate of decrease?
A: The maximum is 100%, which occurs when the New Value is zero (complete disappearance).

Q4: Can I use this for multiple time periods?
A: For multiple periods, you might want to calculate compound rate of decrease or average annual decrease.

Q5: How should I interpret a 0% rate of decrease?
A: A 0% rate means there has been no change - the Old and New values are identical.