Show % Difference between two numbers

J

Jana

I am trying to show the percentage difference between two numbers and also
show the overage in red....Help!
 
D

DaveO

Assuming cell A1 has your 1st value and B1 your 2nd.

Cell C1 should be =A1/B1

Then format that cell to be a % and it'll work.

For the average of the 2 number cell D1 should be =(A1+B1)/2

Then fomat font to br red.

HTH.
 
B

Bernard Liengme

Numbers in A1 and B1
percentage difference =(B1-A1)/A1 or B1/A1 - 1
This is the change in B relative to A; for the change in A relative to B
just use (A1-B1)/B1
Percentage means different thing to different folks!

define 'overage'; do you mean the difference is positive or negative?
 
G

Gary''s Student

If the first value is in A1 and the second is in B1 then =(B1-A1)/A1
(formatted as a %) is the percent difference.

A positive value will mean a percent increase and a negative value will be a
percent decrease
 
J

Jana

Thank you soooo much.

One more question though, the formula works unless 1 of the numbers is 0,
then I get a "#DIV/0!" in the cell.
 
J

Jana

Yes Positive or Negative

Bernard Liengme said:
Numbers in A1 and B1
percentage difference =(B1-A1)/A1 or B1/A1 - 1
This is the change in B relative to A; for the change in A relative to B
just use (A1-B1)/B1
Percentage means different thing to different folks!

define 'overage'; do you mean the difference is positive or negative?
 
M

mvl

Jana

I have to do this also...here's what I do....

I usually hilight one cell, then on the tool bar select Format, Conditional
Formatting, for Condition 1 select "Cell Value is" from the dropdown list,
select "less than", enter 1. Click on Format, in the color selection, select
red.

Then I copy the cell, hilight all cells that applies and paste format.

Hope this helps.
 
M

mellaur

ur msg is true. however, using that formula, which i am, shows negative
percents as positives and vice versa. i need to know how to get them to show
properly and cannot find anything.
 
J

joeu2004

ur msg is true. however, using that formula, which i am, shows negative
percents as positives and vice versa. i need to know how to get them to show
properly and cannot find anything.

If the two numbers are in A1 and B1, and you are currently computing
A1/B1 - 1 and you feel the results are wrong, try B1/A1 - 1.

Note: You might be computing (A1-B1)/B1 instead of A1/B1 - 1. They
are equivalent. Likewise, (B1-A1)/A1 is equivalent to B1/A1 - 1.

Both formulas are equally "proper". It all depends on your point of
view. The first formula (A1/B1 - 1) tells you the percentage change
from B1 to A1. The second formula (B1/A1 - 1) tells you the
percentage change from A1 to B1.
 
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