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.


analog devices , inc . notes to consolidated financial statements 2014 ( continued ) depreciation expense for property , plant and equipment was $ 134.5 million , $ 130.1 million and $ 114.1 million in fiscal 2016 , 2015 and 2014 , respectively . the company reviews property , plant and equipment for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may not be recoverable . recoverability of these assets is determined by comparison of their carrying amount to the future undiscounted cash flows the assets are expected to generate over their remaining economic lives . if such assets are considered to be impaired , the impairment to be recognized in earnings equals the amount by which the carrying value of the assets exceeds their fair value determined by either a quoted market price , if any , or a value determined by utilizing a discounted cash flow technique . if such assets are not impaired , but their useful lives have decreased , the remaining net book value is depreciated over the revised useful life . we have not recorded any material impairment charges related to our property , plant and equipment in fiscal 2016 , fiscal 2015 or fiscal 2014 . f . goodwill and intangible assets goodwill the company evaluates goodwill for impairment annually , as well as whenever events or changes in circumstances suggest that the carrying value of goodwill may not be recoverable . the company tests goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level ( operating segment or one level below an operating segment ) on an annual basis on the first day of the fourth quarter ( on or about august 1 ) or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist . for the company 2019s latest annual impairment assessment that occurred as of july 31 , 2016 , the company identified its reporting units to be its seven operating segments . the performance of the test involves a two-step process . the first step of the quantitative impairment test involves comparing the fair values of the applicable reporting units with their aggregate carrying values , including goodwill . the company determines the fair value of its reporting units using a weighting of the income and market approaches . under the income approach , the company uses a discounted cash flow methodology which requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions related to forecasted revenues , gross profit margins , operating income margins , working capital cash flow , perpetual growth rates , and long-term discount rates , among others . for the market approach , the company uses the guideline public company method . under this method the company utilizes information from comparable publicly traded companies with similar operating and investment characteristics as the reporting units , to create valuation multiples that are applied to the operating performance of the reporting unit being tested , in order to obtain their respective fair values . in order to assess the reasonableness of the calculated reporting unit fair values , the company reconciles the aggregate fair values of its reporting units determined , as described above , to its current market capitalization , allowing for a reasonable control premium . if the carrying amount of a reporting unit , calculated using the above approaches , exceeds the reporting unit 2019s fair value , the company performs the second step of the goodwill impairment test to determine the amount of impairment loss . the second step of the goodwill impairment test involves comparing the implied fair value of the affected reporting unit 2019s goodwill with the carrying value of that reporting unit . there was no impairment of goodwill in any of the fiscal years presented . the company 2019s next annual impairment assessment will be performed as of the first day of the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending october 28 , 2017 ( fiscal 2017 ) unless indicators arise that would require the company to reevaluate at an earlier date . the following table presents the changes in goodwill during fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015: . <table class='wikitable'><tr><td>1</td><td>-</td><td>2016</td><td>2015</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>balance at beginning of year</td><td>$ 1636526</td><td>$ 1642438</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>acquisition of hittite ( note 6 ) ( 1 )</td><td>2014</td><td>-1105 ( 1105 )</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>goodwill adjustment related to other acquisitions ( 2 )</td><td>44046</td><td>3663</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>foreign currency translation adjustment</td><td>-1456 ( 1456 )</td><td>-8470 ( 8470 )</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>balance at end of year</td><td>$ 1679116</td><td>$ 1636526</td></tr></table> ( 1 ) amount in fiscal 2015 represents changes to goodwill as a result of finalizing the acquisition accounting related to the hittite acquisition . ( 2 ) represents goodwill related to other acquisitions that were not material to the company on either an individual or aggregate basis . intangible assets the company reviews finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of assets may not be recoverable . recoverability of these assets is determined by comparison of their carrying value to the estimated future undiscounted cash flows the assets are expected to generate over their remaining .
Question: what was the balance of goodwill at the end of 2016?
Answer: 1679116.0
Question: and at the end of 2015?
Answer: 1636526.0
Question: what is the difference in balance between these two years?
Answer: 42590.0
Question: and the percentage change?

0.02602