How to multiply percentages in excel

Answer

To multiply percentages in Excel, enter the percentages as decimal values or format them as percentages, then multiply the cells with a standard multiplication formula. A percentage value displays as a percent but Excel stores it as a decimal. A 25% value is stored as 0.25.

Entering percentages

Excel formats percentages when the cells use the Percentage format. A typed “25%” becomes 0.25 internally. A typed “0.25” becomes 25% when the Percentage format is applied.

Multiplying percentages with a formula

1. Enter the first percentage in cell A1 (for example, 25%).

2. Enter the second percentage in cell B1 (for example, 40%).

3. Enter the formula below in C1:

   $=A1\ast B1$
   

4. Press Enter.

5. Format the result cell as Percentage if you want it displayed as a percent.

The multiplication uses the decimal equivalents. A 25% entry multiplies as 0.25. A 40% entry multiplies as 0.40. The product displays as 10% when formatted as a percentage.

Multiplying percentages with numbers

You can multiply a percent by a number directly.

1. Enter a number in A1 (for example, 200).

2. Enter a percentage in B1 (for example, 15%).

3. Enter the formula:

   $=A1\ast B1$
   

4. Press Enter.

The product displays as a percentage of the number. A 200 entry multiplied by 15% produces 30.

Multiplying multiple percentages

You can multiply more than two percentages.

1. Enter percentages in A1, B1, and C1.

2. Enter the formula:

   $=A1\ast B1\ast C1$
   

3. Press Enter.

Excel treats each as a decimal and returns the combined proportional effect.

Windows and Mac differences

The formula structure is identical on Windows and Mac. The Percentage format is located in the Home tab on both systems. The keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+% applies the Percentage format on Windows. The shortcut Command+Shift+% applies the Percentage format on Mac.

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