How to calculate what percentage one number is of another in Excel
Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)
=B2/C2Divide the part by the whole: =B2/C2, and format the result as a percentage.
- Result on the example
- one result per row in
D2, filled down toD5 - Works in
- Every current version
- Google Sheets
- Same formula
See it work
The formula is already in D2, filled down to D5. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.
How it works
"What percent of" is a division: the part over the whole. 48,200 out of 50,000 is 0.964, which the Percent format shows as 96.4%. Results over 100% mean the part is bigger than the whole: Ben beat his target.
=B2/C2Result0.964
B2$48,200The value in B2.
C2$50,000The value in C2.
B2/C20.964The / operator divides.
In Google Sheets
The same formula works in Google Sheets: =B2/C2. We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns the same results.
Other ways to do it
Each one was run on the same example sheet.
| Formula | Result | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| =IFERROR(B2/C2,0) | 96.4%, 112.3%, 66.5%… | Shows 0 instead of #DIV/0! when a target is missing. |
Common mistakes
- Multiplying by 100 and then applying the Percent format shows 9640%. Use one or the other.
- Keep the division the right way round: part divided by whole.
Try it yourself
Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.
Calculate what percentage one number is of another
D2, calculate what percentage of the target each rep reached, and fill down to D5.Questions
How do I calculate X% of a number?
Multiply: 15% of 80 is =80*15% or =80*0.15.
How do I show the shortfall from target?
=C2-B2 gives the amount; =1-B2/C2 gives it as a percentage.
Checked by running on 2026-10-29: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.