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In English, x or time(s) after a number marks a "unit" used by various verbs. A 10x increase. Increase by 10x. Go up 10x. Some of these verbs are negative like
by veqq 1y ago
In English, x or time(s) after a number marks a "unit" used by various verbs. A 10x increase. Increase by 10x. Go up 10x. Some of these verbs are negative like decrease or save. "Save 10x" is the same as "divide by 10". Four times less, 5 times smaller etc. are long attested.
- adammarples 1y agoNo, x literally means multiply. It doesn't somehow also mean divide. They should use the percent sign, it's what it is for. 10x my costs means 10 x mycost, it's literally an equation
- veqq 1y agoIt's just inversion, like 2 to the power of 2 or 2 to the power of negative 2. These negative words inverse it just the same. You may dislike it, but millions of people have spoken this way for a long time. > x literally means multiply And some use the dot operator or even 2(3) or (2)(3). When programming, we tend to use *.
- adammarples 1y agoNobody says times to mean divide. The word "negative" is what is doing the inversion for you in your example.
- jaredhallen 1y agoAgree to disagree.
- ffsm8 1y agoIt's basically multiplication with fractions, just like you get 1/4 from 1/2 * 1/2, which is once again a multiplication that turns into division I agree that it's a suboptimal and click baity way to phrase it though...
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- imp0cat 1y agoExactly, it's multiplication. Example: He was saving $10 every month before the change. Then he switched and now he is saving 10 x $10, ie $100 every month. But that's not the case here, right? And that's why the parent post is correct.
- happymellon 1y agoThats not how English works. Saved 10x would imply there was an amount being saved that they multipled.