What the difference is
The difference is the larger number minus the smaller one, so it is never negative.
The calculator also shows the gap as a percentage of the larger number, which puts small and large gaps on a comparable footing.
Worked example
Comparing 75 and 50 gives a difference of 25.
The larger number is 75, and 25 / 75 x 100 = 33.3333%, so the gap is a third of the larger number.
The larger number is 1.5 times the smaller one.
Difference, percentage difference and percentage change
The difference is a plain subtraction, in the same units as the numbers.
Percentage difference divides the gap by the average of the two values. Percentage change divides by the starting value, so it needs to know which value came first.
Inputs for the difference calculator
First number
One of the two numbers you are comparing.
Second number
The other number. The difference is the same whichever way round you enter them.
CALCULATOR QUESTIONS
Difference calculator questions
What is the difference between 75 and 50?
25. The larger number is 75 and the gap is a third of it.
Can the difference be negative?
No. The calculator subtracts the smaller number from the larger one, so the answer is zero or positive.
How is the percentage worked out?
The gap is divided by the larger number and multiplied by 100. For 75 and 50, 25 / 75 x 100 = 33.3333%.
What if both numbers are the same?
The difference is zero, the percentage is zero, and the calculator says the numbers are equal.