This free percentage calculator finds a percent of a number, what percent one number is of another, the percent change, and the original value before a rise or a discount. It also adds or removes the 5% UAE VAT, and it shows every step of the working under the answer.
Type two numbers. Read the steps. Learn the method.
Percentage calculator
Pick what you want to find. Fill in the boxes. The answer and the working appear below.
How this percentage calculator works, and its limits
Each mode uses one short rule. The working under your answer follows the same steps, so you can copy the method into your own work.
X% of Y: X ÷ 100 × Y. For example, 35% of 260 is 0.35 × 260 = 91.
X is what % of Y: X ÷ Y × 100. For example, 117 out of 180 is 0.65, which is 65%.
Percent change: (new − old) ÷ old × 100. A rise from 1,250 to 1,400 is 150 ÷ 1,250 = 0.12, so it is a 12% increase.
Original value: value now ÷ (1 − X/100) after a decrease, or ÷ (1 + X/100) after an increase.
5% VAT: multiply by 1.05 to add it. Divide by 1.05 to remove it.
The limits
Answers are rounded to 2 decimal places, so 1 out of 3 shows as 33.33%. The working shows “≈” when a number is rounded. The calculator takes numbers of 0 or more, below one trillion. A percent change cannot start from 0, and a decrease must be less than 100%.
What your answer means: 3 traps to avoid
The calculator does the sums. These 3 traps come from reading the question, so they still catch students.
1. The base is the value you start from
A rise from 1,250 to 1,400 is a 12% increase. A fall from 1,400 back to 1,250 is 150 ÷ 1,400 ≈ 10.71%, not 12%. The same gap of 150 gives a different percent, because the base changed.
2. Undo a percent by dividing, not by adding it back
A shirt costs 80 after 20% off. Adding 20% of 80 gives 96, which is wrong. The 80 is 80% of the original price, so the original is 80 ÷ 0.8 = 100. Check: 20% of 100 is 20, and 100 − 20 = 80.
3. Percent and percentage points are not the same
A test score goes from 64% to 72%. That is a rise of 8 percentage points. As a percent change, it is 8 ÷ 64 = 0.125, so it is a 12.5% increase. News reports and SAT questions use both, so read which one the question asks for.
Free BMI Maths Test
Wrong base every time? That is a concept gap.
- Used the new value as the base for a percent change: CNC, concept not clear.
- Undid 20% off by adding 20% back (80 + 16 = 96): CNC, concept not clear.
- Mixed up percent and percentage points: DRC, did not read carefully.
- Typed a number into the wrong box: CWV, copied a wrong value.
The Free BMI Maths Test finds which of the 6 mistake types your child makes, and their real maths level.
5% VAT in the UAE: add it or take it out
The UAE VAT rate is 5%. Most shop prices already include it. A quote or an invoice may show the price before VAT.
Add VAT
A laptop is AED 2,400 before VAT. 2,400 × 1.05 = AED 2,520. The VAT part is AED 120.
Remove VAT
A bill is AED 1,180 with VAT. 1,180 ÷ 1.05 ≈ AED 1,123.81 before VAT. The VAT part is about AED 56.19.
A shop may round each item to the nearest fils. So a receipt can be 0.01 different from this calculator.
Fact checked on 9 November 2026: the UAE Government portal, u.ae, says “The rate of VAT is 5 per cent.” The Federal Tax Authority site, tax.gov.ae, uses 5% in its own VAT calculator.
Learn the method behind the answers
A calculator helps you check. In a test you need the method. Our page what is a percentage in maths explains each idea from the start, with a quiz.
Percentages are part of SAT maths. Try the SAT-style maths practice questions, then see what your result means with the SAT score calculator.
Questions people ask about percentages
How do I find a percentage of a number?
Multiply the number by the percent, then divide by 100. For example, 35% of 260 is 35 × 260 ÷ 100 = 91.
How do I work out percent change?
Take the old value from the new value, divide by the old value, then multiply by 100. From 1,250 to 1,400 is 150 ÷ 1,250 × 100 = 12%, so it is a 12% increase.
How do I find the price before a discount?
Divide the sale price by what is left after the discount. After 20% off, 80% is left, so a sale price of 80 came from 80 ÷ 0.8 = 100. Do not add 20% of the sale price back.
How do I remove 5% VAT from a price?
Divide the price with VAT by 1.05. For example, AED 1,180 ÷ 1.05 ≈ AED 1,123.81. Taking 5% off the price with VAT gives the wrong answer.
Need the calculator for every percent question?
The Free BMI Maths Test finds your child’s real maths level and the reason for each mistake.
Sources
Checked on 9 November 2026.
