Why −50% needs +100%
A 50% drop turns 1,000,000 into 500,000. A 50% rise from there gives 750,000 — still short. To get back to 1,000,000 the 500,000 must grow 100%. The general formula: required gain = 1 ÷ (1 − loss) − 1.
| Loss | Gain to break even |
|---|---|
| −10% | +11.1% |
| −20% | +25% |
| −50% | +100% |
| −80% | +400% |
What it teaches
- Recovery gets non-linearly harder as losses deepen, so avoiding one large loss often matters more than collecting several small gains.
- Stop-loss rules, risk per trade and drawdown limits all follow from this asymmetry.
Percent change
Enter a "from" and "to" value to get the change ((to ÷ from − 1) × 100) and the difference. From 200 to 150 is −25%.
FAQ
How much to recover a 90% loss?
+900%. As the loss nears 100%, the required gain grows without bound.
If I gain 50% then lose 50%, am I even?
No: 100 → 150 → 75, a 25% loss. Gains and losses apply to different bases.
How is percent change calculated?
(to ÷ from − 1) × 100.
Does it work for stocks and crypto?
Yes — it is pure percentage math.