Use this electronics calculation for a first-pass component, converter, signal, motor, or sensor estimate when the stated operating conditions and units match the device data.

Pulse width (ms)

Required number input.

Period (ms)

Required number input.

Compute the duty cycle percent as pulse width / period x 100. The tool evaluates the supplied inputs together and returns the named outputs below; it does not infer omitted operating conditions or change the units shown.^[1]

Duty cycle (%)

The resulting duty cycle returned as a number.

• Compact electronics formulas omit some combination of tolerances, temperature drift, bandwidth, loading, parasitics, noise spectrum, nonlinearity, clipping, calibration, layout, and device-specific limits. Typical datasheet values are not guaranteed limits.
• Use finite inputs in the displayed units and preserve more precision than the final presentation requires. Independently verify safety-critical, financial, compliance, or production decisions.

Check the result against the current datasheet and worst-case operating corners, then verify the circuit or measurement with simulation and bench testing where failure matters.

• Pulse Width From Duty

  Compute the pulse width as duty percent x period / 100 for duty between zero and one hundred inclusive.

• Boost Duty Cycle

  Compute the ideal boost converter duty cycle percent as (1 - Vin/Vout) x 100.

• Buck-Boost Duty

  Compute the inverting buck-boost duty cycle percent as |Vout| / (Vin + |Vout|) x 100.