[Phys-L] Re: Interesting quotation about percentages

[Carl Gaither <cgaither628@EARTHLINK.NET>]

Hello to the List--

I believe that this quotation and Brian's response show's a source of human
error.

Firstly, let's rephrase the quotation slightly to "Three apples exceeds 2
apples by 50 percent not 1 apple".

Here it doesn't take much to agree that this statement is true if we are
looking for the solution in percentages and not in excess apples.  I
perceive Denison's statement the same as the statement with the apples.
Denison was indicating a solution based on percentages and not excess
percents.  Hence, human error enters into the solution of the problem at the
moment an individual interprets the problem.

-----Original Message-----
From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-L@list1.ucc.nau.edu]On
Behalf Of Brian Whatcott
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 8:11 PM
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
Subject: Re: Interesting quotation about percentages


At 07:00 PM 4/29/2005, you wrote:
> Hello to the list--
>
> I came across this very interesting quotation by Edward Denison--
>
> "Three percent exceeds 2 percent by 50 percent, not by 1 percent".
>
> I hope that you enjoy it.
>
> Carl Gaither

Rendered literally, this becomes..

0.03 in 1.0 exceeds 0.02 in 1.0  by 0.5  in 1.0 not by 0.01 in 1.0

...and is much less convincing.



Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka!
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