Percentage increase from a negative number to a positive one

[bazbarrow]

Hi,

I'm trying to work out the percentage increase from a negative number (-21) to a positive number (941) but I'm very confused...can anyone help please?

Thanks
Richard

 

[bazbarrow]

It is a bit confusing. Are you trying to get "averages" of "averages"?
If -21 is the "average" over a 3 month period, does that mean the real number lost over that time was -63 (which is -21*3)?
What exactly are your monthly numbers?
And what exactly are you trying to show/accomplish?

You have to be REALLY careful with statistics, as if they are not used in the proper context, they can be very misleading (many people actually take advantage of this fact when making distored arguments).

For example, let's say that we have two companies, Company A and Company B.
Let's say that Company A had a profit of $1 in year 1, and then a profit of $2 in year 2.
And let's say that Company B had a profit of $400 in year 1, and then a profit of $500 in year 2.

Who would you say had the better year 2? I think most people would agree it is Company B.
However, if you looked at profit growth from year 1 to year 2, Company A had 100% profit growth, while Company B had 25% profit growth.
So if you only looked at that percentage, you would be inclined to say Company A had the better year 2.

Just like "words", "numbers" taken out of context can be very misleading and not really informative.

Thanks Joe, you are very helpful and its appreciated. I'm trying to show the huge improvement in adding followers over a 3 month period compared to the previous 3 month period. Here are the figures Month 1 +15, Month 2 -7, Month 3 -70 (which gives me an average of -21 followers per month) That is the first period. The second period is Month 1 1,309, Month 2 507, Month 3 1,007 (which gives me an average of +941 followers per month) The number of followers at the start of the first 3 month period was 47,817.

 

[bazbarrow]

Thanks Joe, you are very helpful and its appreciated. I'm trying to show the huge improvement in adding followers over a 3 month period compared to the previous 3 month period. Here are the figures Month 1 +15, Month 2 -7, Month 3 -70 (which gives me an average of -21 followers per month) That is the first period. The second period is Month 1 1,309, Month 2 507, Month 3 1,007 (which gives me an average of +941 followers per month) The number of followers at the start of the first 3 month period was 47,817.

Yes the total number lost of the first 3 month period was -63.

 

[Joe4]

I would recommend using the logic I showed back in post 8, where you show that you lost x% over the first three month period, and then gained y% over the next three month period.

So, the formula would look like this:
=(amount gained or lost over three month period)/(total number at the beginning of the three month period)

I think showing those two numbers (the percentages gained/lost for each 3 month period) side-by-side is probably the most indicative/useful statistic, IMO.

 

[bazbarrow]

I would recommend using the logic I showed back in post 8, where you show that you lost x% over the first three month period, and then gained y% over the next three month period.

So, the formula would look like this:
=(amount gained or lost over three month period)/(total number at the beginning of the three month period)

I think showing those two numbers (the percentages gained/lost for each 3 month period) side-by-side is probably the most indicative/useful statistic, IMO.

Brilliant!....thanks so much for your help Joe....you've really helped me out

 

[bazbarrow]

I would recommend using the logic I showed back in post 8, where you show that you lost x% over the first three month period, and then gained y% over the next three month period.

So, the formula would look like this:
=(amount gained or lost over three month period)/(total number at the beginning of the three month period)

I think showing those two numbers (the percentages gained/lost for each 3 month period) side-by-side is probably the most indicative/useful statistic, IMO.

I used your logic Joe and the results show a -0.13% drop in followers over the first 3 month period and a gain of 5.99% over the second period. I was really scratching my head here so thanks again

 

[Joe4]

You are welcome.
Glad I was able to help!