1. What is Growth/Decay Percentage?

The growth/decay percentage measures the continuous rate of change between two values over time. It's commonly used in finance, biology, physics, and economics to analyze exponential growth or decay processes.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the natural logarithm formula:

Where:

• \( final \) — Ending value
• \( initial \) — Starting value
• \( t \) — Time period
• \( \ln \) — Natural logarithm

Explanation: The formula calculates the continuous compounding growth rate between two values over a specified time period.

3. Importance of Growth Rate Calculation

Details: Understanding growth rates is essential for predicting future values, analyzing trends, and making comparisons between different growth processes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the initial and final values, plus the time period. All values must be positive numbers. The result shows the continuous growth/decay rate per time unit.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between this and simple percentage growth?
A: This calculates continuous compounding growth, while simple percentage shows discrete growth between two points.

Q2: What does a negative result mean?
A: A negative percentage indicates decay (decreasing values) rather than growth.

Q3: What time units should I use?
A: Use consistent time units (years, months, days). The result will be in percentage per that time unit.

Q4: Can I use this for population growth?
A: Yes, this is commonly used to calculate continuous population growth rates.

Q5: How does this relate to exponential functions?
A: The result is the 'r' in the exponential growth formula: final = initial × e^(r×t).