Procentdelen

Procentdelen, also called the percentage share, is the part of a total that is attributed to a particular category, expressed as a percentage. It describes the composition of a whole and allows comparison of the relative size of parts within a dataset.

Calculation: For categories with values x1, x2, ..., xn and a total T = sum xi, the procentdel of category i is (xi / T) × 100%. The sum of all procentdel values typically equals 100%, subject to rounding errors.

Example: In a survey of 1,000 respondents, 520 prefer Product A and 480 prefer Product B. The procentdel for Product A is (520/1000) × 100 = 52%; for Product B it is 48%.

Relation to percentage points: A procentdel is a relative share expressed as a percentage. A change between two procentdel values is described in percentage points when stating the absolute difference, or in percent when describing the relative change.

Applications and interpretation: Procentdelen is widely used in demographics, economics, market research and reporting to show how a total is distributed across categories, such as market shares, voting results or population groups. When comparing procentdelen across groups, it is important to ensure the totals are meaningful, and to be mindful of rounding and missing data which can affect the sum and interpretation.

Limitations: Procentdelen reflects the base total; a small total or omitted categories can distort comparisons. It conveys relative size but not the absolute quantities involved, so it should be interpreted together with the underlying totals.