20 times less...?

[Purrybonker]

I have the odd PhD hanging the wall but I must still be on something of a learning curve - and I welcome that!

We have this "times less" phrase being very popular in advertising media.

"This doodad is 40 times less expensive than that doodad".

I don't get the "math" here.

"times more" is easy. An apple has 120 calories say - thereby 4 apples have 4 times as many calories as one apple.

So the seller of four apples, hoping to attract the calorie desiring crowd can rightly claim that his four apple product has 4 times the calories of a one apple product.

Ergo 120 x 4 = 480. Logical math.

But what does "times less" mean in this context?

So, if you're advertising the virtues of one apple vs four apples what is the math that allows the expression "4 times less calories than 4 apples"?

Ergo -4 x 480 = -2040. Illogical math. Negative calories?

Or, even more accurately? The "less calories" = 360 (480-120).

Ergo -4 x 360 = -1440. Still illogical.

I mean, if an advertiser claims that item "A" is 20% less expensive than item "B" - I can extrapolate that.

But when an advertiser claims that item "A" is 4 times less expensive than item "B" - I have no information to work with.

In any possible, logical event the "times less" expression seems to make zero sense.

Do I have a major mental block here? Or am I the only one pedantic enough to see this as a major societal issue?

[pwd72s]

"50% less sugar"

Less than what? (They don't say.)

[berettafan]

I appreciate you giving voice to something that’s bothered me for years. Am also noticing a fair amount of poor grammar in advertising of late. I’m not an English major but you’d think ad agencies would have at least one on staff.

[ckelly78z]

Advertisers can make a rather insignificant item seem like such a great new idea by making up statistics comparing it to nothing...("3 times the cleaning power")...of what, they don't mention !

[hbueno]

4 times less means divide by 4 or multjply by 1/4.

[911_Dude]

Originally Posted by hbueno

4 times less means divide by 4 or multiply by 1/4.

I think hbueno is correct.

OP, thanks for bringing this up. Its bothered me forever. "Ten times Less", "50% fewer cavities", etc, are all BS claims ad makers come up with so all the cave man brains just shake their head in agreement because they dont know what it means, but it must be good.

[unclebilly]

There are 3 kinds of lies...

Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

You can use percentages like that to say whatever you want.

I actually like to use this jokingly in the context of, ‘this new one is 47% better than the old one...’ never a round number, always unsubstantiated.

[1990C4S]

It's not poor grammar, it's poor math.

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

"50% less sugar"

Less than what? (They don't say.)

The other leading brand.

[gsxrken]

And 75% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

[Rusty Heap]

only 3 out of 2 people can do math.

[MBAtarga]

How about the signs in the grocery store express lanes - "10 items or less"
How about "10 items or fewer" instead?

[island911]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

How about the signs in the grocery store express lanes - "10 items or less"
How about "10 items or fewer" instead?

Les will be disappointed.

[red-beard]

Pet peeves.

Got and have do not mean the same thing.

Stop using "busted" when you mean arrested.

Using to mean broken is OK.

[fanaudical]

Originally Posted by gsxrken

And 75% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Yep. 47% of all people know that, too...

[island911]

But only 27.3% care much.

[MBAtarga]

And the other 33.817% don't have a clue.

[aschen]

4 times less is colloquial for 1 fourth. I get the frustration but this sort of imprecise language is common. Gotta rely on context and custom

[varmint]

that way of phrasing has alway been irritating. but assumed it was just the autistic side of me.

[Baz]

I find commercials in general to be demeaning to my intelligence.....