What is the percent increase from 0 to 19?

Question

the mathematical answer would be an infinite increase. but for example, if we had no pimples and get 19 pimples how would we calculate the percent increase in these kind of real cases?

Answer 1

in this case, the math models the real cases exactly because the definition of "percent increase" is very specific

if you had no cats, and you got 10 cats, there is no way to express a percentage increase, it is UNDEFINED

if you had one cat and you you got another, that is a 100% increase

you could get a calculator and multiply 1 by 100% and you get 1

if you had 0 cats and got one, what % would you multiply zero by to get one

there is no solution, anything you multiply zero by is zero

you cannot express a change from "zero" as a percent increase (or decrease)

Answer 2

If you really need an answer, then you can define a background term, ie a constant term, C.

So the % increase is (19 + C)/C * 100%.

So, if C is 1, then (19 + 1)/1 * 100% = 2000%

Answer 3

That's a good question. I suspect in order to calculate a percentage increase, we would have to start with at least one pimple, other wise it just doesn't make any real sense - from zero to any quantity just doesn't lend itself to a percentage comparison.

Answer 4

For people finding this later, the answer is infinity.

Limits exist to find the answers to undefined problems (like this one).

In this case, Limit of ( (End - Start) / Start) as Start approaches 0 = Positive Infinity

Answer 5

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Answer 6

To calc. your percentage increase/decrease:

(x_new - x_old)/x_old

As pointed out, in this case it is undefined. Why? Division by zero.