Read the following texts and table with financial data from an S&P 500 earnings report carefully.Based on the question-answer history (if provided), answer the last question. The answer may require mathematical calculation based on the data provided.


the company has a restricted stock plan for non-employee directors which reserves for issuance of 300000 shares of the company 2019s common stock . no restricted shares were issued in 2009 . the company has a directors 2019 deferral plan , which provides a means to defer director compensation , from time to time , on a deferred stock or cash basis . as of september 30 , 2009 , 86643 shares were held in trust , of which 4356 shares represented directors 2019 compensation in 2009 , in accordance with the provisions of the plan . under this plan , which is unfunded , directors have an unsecured contractual commitment from the company . the company also has a deferred compensation plan that allows certain highly-compensated employees , including executive officers , to defer salary , annual incentive awards and certain equity-based compensation . as of september 30 , 2009 , 557235 shares were issuable under this plan . note 16 2014 earnings per share the weighted average common shares used in the computations of basic and diluted earnings per share ( shares in thousands ) for the years ended september 30 were as follows: . <table class='wikitable'><tr><td>1</td><td>-</td><td>2009</td><td>2008</td><td>2007</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>average common shares outstanding</td><td>240479</td><td>244323</td><td>244929</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>dilutive share equivalents from share-based plans</td><td>6319</td><td>8358</td><td>9881</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>average common and common equivalent sharesoutstanding 2014 assuming dilution</td><td>246798</td><td>252681</td><td>254810</td></tr></table> average common and common equivalent shares outstanding 2014 assuming dilution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246798 252681 254810 note 17 2014 segment data the company 2019s organizational structure is based upon its three principal business segments : bd medical ( 201cmedical 201d ) , bd diagnostics ( 201cdiagnostics 201d ) and bd biosciences ( 201cbiosciences 201d ) . the principal product lines in the medical segment include needles , syringes and intravenous catheters for medication delivery ; safety-engineered and auto-disable devices ; prefilled iv flush syringes ; syringes and pen needles for the self-injection of insulin and other drugs used in the treatment of diabetes ; prefillable drug delivery devices provided to pharmaceutical companies and sold to end-users as drug/device combinations ; surgical blades/scalpels and regional anesthesia needles and trays ; critical care monitoring devices ; ophthalmic surgical instruments ; and sharps disposal containers . the principal products and services in the diagnostics segment include integrated systems for specimen collection ; an extensive line of safety-engineered specimen blood collection products and systems ; plated media ; automated blood culturing systems ; molecular testing systems for sexually transmitted diseases and healthcare-associated infections ; microorganism identification and drug susceptibility systems ; liquid-based cytology systems for cervical cancer screening ; and rapid diagnostic assays . the principal product lines in the biosciences segment include fluorescence activated cell sorters and analyzers ; cell imaging systems ; monoclonal antibodies and kits for performing cell analysis ; reagent systems for life sciences research ; tools to aid in drug discovery and growth of tissue and cells ; cell culture media supplements for biopharmaceutical manufacturing ; and diagnostic assays . the company evaluates performance of its business segments based upon operating income . segment operating income represents revenues reduced by product costs and operating expenses . the company hedges against certain forecasted sales of u.s.-produced products sold outside the united states . gains and losses associated with these foreign currency translation hedges are reported in segment revenues based upon their proportionate share of these international sales of u.s.-produced products . becton , dickinson and company notes to consolidated financial statements 2014 ( continued ) .
Question: what were the number of common shares outstanding in 2008?
Answer: 244323.0
Question: what were the number of shares outstanding in 2009?
Answer: 240479.0
Question: what is the value of 2008 less 2009?
Answer: 3844.0
Question: what were the number of shares in 2008?

244323.0