It makes much more sense when converted into fractions and multiply, where you have 9/10 and 11/10 respectively. Using percentages outside of a fixed reference causes all the confusion.

[–] 7bicycles@hexbear.net 16 points 6 days ago (2 children)

optimistic to expect your average peon, including me, to turn percentages into fractions in their mind

[–] aebletrae@hexbear.net 12 points 6 days ago (2 children)

But, but... percentages are already fractions. Per cent = "out of a hundred".

The % symbol even looks like a fraction to remind everyone.

Now, simplifying fractions from 90/100 to 9/10—in spite of it literally being removing a zero from each side—does seem to cause some real problems.

[–] 7bicycles@hexbear.net 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

where you have 9/10 and 11/10 respectively

This is the one that is not intuitive

[–] aebletrae@hexbear.net 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

How are you at thinking about years, decades, and centuries?

If we take it step by step:—

10 years of a century is ten years out of a hundred.
10% is ten out of a hundred.
So 10 years is 10% of a century.

Looking at the same thing another way:—

10 years is a also a decade.
There are 10 decades in a century.
So one decade is one tenth (1/10) of a century.

Bringing in the comparison from earlier:—

90% of a century is 90 years, or 9 decades.
9 decades is nine tenths (9/10) of a century.
110% of a century is 110 years, or 11 decades.
11 decades is eleven tenths (11/10) of a century.

Are these familiar enough to make sense as a parallel, or just further irrelevant confusion?

[–] 7bicycles@hexbear.net 5 points 6 days ago

How are you at thinking about years, decades, and centuries?

not a lot, usually

It's not like I don't get the train of thought here, it just doesn't come intuitive

[–] ChaosMaterialist@hexbear.net 4 points 6 days ago

But, but... percentages are already fractions. Per cent = "out of a hundred".

You are correct. It's more like leaving off the Unit from a number, with that causing an incorrect conversion somewhere else.

[–] Nakoichi@hexbear.net 10 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I finally learned to convert fractions and imperial vs metric by selling drugs and working retail lol.

For example I can tell you that one OZ = ~~0.625~~ 0.0625* LB off the dome but don't ask me to do calculus.

[–] aebletrae@hexbear.net 4 points 6 days ago (2 children)

one OZ = 0.625 LB

I think you're missing a zero, or have transposed the zero and decimal point. You need 16 oz for 1 lb, right? Or did you just give your customers really good deals?

[–] Nakoichi@hexbear.net 5 points 6 days ago

lol yeah meant to be .06 my bad. Of course that kind of oversight you would quickly realize while weighing stuff out

[–] keepcarrot@hexbear.net 4 points 6 days ago

Oh, I never learned Oz to lb. Ounce just was some weird thing like 28 grams