Experimental data & uncertainty · SL/HL

Rate of Change Calculator

Enter the initial value, final value and elapsed time.

Your values

Start with the example or enter your own values. Use a dot for decimals and e for scientific notation.

Rate of Change Calculator inputs

Calculated locally. No account or input upload.

Result & working

Example

The calculator is loading. The worked example is also shown below.

The formula

average rate = (final − initial)/elapsed time

What the variables mean
SymbolMeaning
rateSigned average change per unit time.

When to use this calculator

For a graph, this is the gradient of the secant between two points; instantaneous rate may differ.

Worked example

The page opens with these example values. The result below is pre-generated for reference.

  1. Δy = 7.8 − (2.4) = 5.4 mg
  2. rate = Δy/Δt = 5.4/12 = 0.45 mg/min

0.45 mg/min

Common mistakes

  • Keep the sign if direction of change matters.