3 Ways To Calculate Percent Error In Excel

Percent error is a common statistical measure used to calculate the difference between a measured or actual value and a known or expected value. In Excel, calculating percent error is a straightforward process that can be accomplished using a few different methods. In this article, we will explore three ways to calculate percent error in Excel, as well as provide examples and explanations to help you understand the process.

What is Percent Error?

Before we dive into the methods for calculating percent error in Excel, let's first define what percent error is. Percent error is a measure of the difference between a measured or actual value and a known or expected value, expressed as a percentage. It is often used to evaluate the accuracy of a measurement or calculation.

Method 1: Using the Percent Error Formula

One way to calculate percent error in Excel is to use the percent error formula. The formula is:

Percent Error = ((Measured Value - Expected Value) / Expected Value) x 100

This formula calculates the difference between the measured value and the expected value, divides it by the expected value, and then multiplies it by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

For example, suppose you have a measured value of 25 and an expected value of 20. To calculate the percent error, you would enter the following formula into a cell:

=((25-20)/20)*100

This would return a value of 25%, indicating that the measured value is 25% greater than the expected value.

Method 2: Using the ABS Function

Another way to calculate percent error in Excel is to use the ABS function. The ABS function returns the absolute value of a number, which is useful when calculating percent error because it eliminates the need to worry about whether the difference between the measured and expected values is positive or negative.

The formula for calculating percent error using the ABS function is:

Percent Error = (ABS(Measured Value - Expected Value) / Expected Value) x 100

This formula calculates the absolute difference between the measured value and the expected value, divides it by the expected value, and then multiplies it by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

For example, suppose you have a measured value of 25 and an expected value of 20. To calculate the percent error using the ABS function, you would enter the following formula into a cell:

=(ABS(25-20)/20)*100

This would return a value of 25%, indicating that the measured value is 25% greater than the expected value.

Method 3: Using a Percent Error Calculator

If you need to calculate percent error frequently, you may want to consider creating a percent error calculator in Excel. A percent error calculator is a pre-built formula that calculates the percent error for you, eliminating the need to enter a formula every time you need to calculate percent error.

To create a percent error calculator, follow these steps:

1. Open a new Excel spreadsheet.
2. Enter the following formula into a cell: =(ABS(A1-B1)/B1)*100
3. Format the cell as a percentage by selecting the cell and clicking on the "Percent" button in the "Number" group of the Home tab.
4. Enter a measured value in cell A1 and an expected value in cell B1.

For example, suppose you have a measured value of 25 and an expected value of 20. To calculate the percent error using the calculator, you would enter the values into cells A1 and B1, and the calculator would return a value of 25%, indicating that the measured value is 25% greater than the expected value.

Gallery of Excel Percent Error Calculations

We hope this article has helped you understand how to calculate percent error in Excel. Whether you use the percent error formula, the ABS function, or create a percent error calculator, calculating percent error is a straightforward process that can help you evaluate the accuracy of your measurements and calculations.

Gallery of 3 Ways To Calculate Percent Error In Excel