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Nearly every percentage problem is one of three shapes. 'What is 15% of 240?' multiplies: 15 ÷ 100 × 240 = 36. '36 is what percent of 240?' divides: 36 ÷ 240 × 100 = 15%. And 'the price went from 240 to 276 — what's the change?' compares: (276 − 240) ÷ 240 × 100 = +15%. Pick the mode that matches your sentence and the labels adjust to guide you.
Percentage change is directional: a 50% increase followed by a 50% decrease doesn't return to the start (100 → 150 → 75), because the second percentage acts on a new base. Similarly, percentage points and percentages differ — going from 10% to 15% is a rise of 5 percentage points but a 50% relative increase. When a claim sounds dramatic, check which of the two it's using.