working out percentages

[soozmac]

hello all. how can I work out the starting amount if I have the final gross total and the vat percentage? For example, if I know that a net amount is 3894.86 and there is vat of 16% which is 741.88, then the gross is 4636.74. However, if I have the gross amount, and know the vat code, how can I work back to the net amount?

[chazza]

Divide the gross amount by 1.16, which will give you the net amount

[soozmac]

ah, is that all it is? I used to know that, but many years have passed since I was at school, and for the life of me I couldn't work it out on paper.

Thanks so much, I can now finish my work without having to admit to my new boss that she's hired someone with 6 years' accounts payable experience, who can't work out net amounts......

[anotheoldgit]

Can I also pick your brains chazza, whilst on percentages?
How do you calculate by what percentage an item has increased or decreased.
Say an item cost �50.25 and it now costs �68.75, what is the percentage increase?
And say an article once cost �30.50 and it has been reduced to �26.75, what is the percentage knock down?

[scotstone]

(68.75-50.25)/50.25 x 100 = 36.8%

(30.50-26.75)/30.50 x100 = 12.3%

[anotheoldgit]

Thanks alot scotstone, comes in handy in these times of ever increasing prices.

[stevie21]

As said, for a %age change, it's
difference / original figure x 100. Much easier to calculate than you'd think.