this is one of those comments I frequently hear and each time wonder what it really means.
Pulled from another thread
- Thread starter SUNRAY
- Start date
[ Firstly, apologies for two 'typos' - firstly the missing "r" in what should have been "closer" and, secondly (and goodness knows why I did this!) it should be "six times", rather than "four times"! ]
As I imagine you probably understood in this case, had I typed this correctly, what it would have "really meant" was that 150mm is "six times" 25mm - i.e. that switches & sockets were allowed 6 times closer to gas pipes than other electrical things. Would you perhaps regard it as clearer had I written that the separation for switches etc. was allowed to be "one sixth" of that for other things?
Having said that, there are certainly situations in which statements about ratios, proportions and percentage differences/changes are worded in a way which can be ambiguous, due to uncertainty about the denominator which has been used. This is probably at its worst with 'percentage reductions', and at its very worst with things like "100% reduction". I think that nearly always actually means (is intended to mean) an actual 50% reduction (rather than a true '100%' reduction 'to zero') but at least it is usually obvious from context that it is not intended to mean a reduction to zero.
The worry (and perhaps uncertainty) then is that if someone might (incorrectly) say "100% reduction" for a reduction from, say, 10 to 5, one has to wonder how they would describe, say, a reduction from 10 to 8 - would they (correctly) call it a '20% reduction' or (incorrectly) as a '25% reduction'?
, differences
Although I suppose I can understand your uncertainty, I don't personally find it hard understanding that sort of form of words. The real
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
