Percentage/stats question

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OK, I've spent an hour on Google trying to find a reliable site that would tell me how I can interpret percentages, etc., mentioned in survey reports in varied ways. I didn't find anything, and here I am.

Mathematics was never my forte, and sometimes I find myself stuck with very simple questions.

Let's say a survey finds that 40% of women use the morning-after pill as their preferred contraceptive method. And let's say they had interviewed 500 women.

So if I have express this result another way - say in terms of "one in ten women" said - how would I calculate that figure? And in what other ways could I express the 40% result?

Thanks!

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You could express it as two in five women prefer the morning after pill. You've chosen convenient numbers--40% is very easily expressed in such terms. If, though, the number were 42.7%, it would no longer be so simple. In a case like that, you'd be obliged to say something such as "almost two in five women . . . "

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@spidergal,

Percentages are fractions expressed as "out of 100".

So in your survey, 40 women out of every 100 interviewed used that pill. Or 5x40=200 total in the survey.

40% =40/100=4 out of 1o = 2/5= o.4

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@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

If, though, the number were 42.7%, it would no longer be so simple. In a case like that, you'd be obliged to say something such as "almost two in five women . . . "

42.7% of 500 women is 213.5 women, so in that case one would wonder how the survey people got an answer out of half a woman. Furthermore because 213.5 is more than 200, you'd say something like "slightly more than two in five women", not "almost". Even better, "around two in five".

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@contrex,

You must be lousy, because i see you picking nits. The point was less about the numbers than about the manner of expressing a percentage which is not as convenient as 40%. Of course, if this sort of thing gratifies your petty heart, far be it from me to ruin your fun.

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@contrex,

You are 100% c0rrect ( Wink

) in discussing all aspects of the original question.

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@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

You must be lousy, because i see you picking nits.

You silly fool.

Quote:

The point was less about the numbers than about the manner of expressing a percentage which is not as convenient as 40%. Of course, if this sort of thing gratifies your petty heart, far be it from me to ruin your fun.

People differ in their familarity with numbers, I agree, and I understand that to pick take issue with your (no doubt hurriedly concocted) example of "42.7% of 500 women" might seem petty to you, but there are many people who would see it as crass as writing "My mother and father is both Armenian".

Anyhow, I don't think that arguing with your assertion, in essence, that 213 is "almost" 200 is nitpicking at all, and your hysterical, whining response does you no credit. If you cannot take criticism, then think a little more before you post.

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@contrex,

No whining here, Bubba . . . you're not that important.

1 Reply

@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

No whining here, Bubba . . . you're not that important.

He fails to address the issue of his number-blindness.

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I can take criticism, especially from a non-entity such as you. The original poster asked a question about how to express percentages, and i offered some advice, which was not intended to be a rigorous arithmetic exposition. If you are so petty as to rant about number blindness and call me a fool, i'd say you're the one who is hysterical. Maybe you need a hobby.

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@Setanta,

Quote:

I can take criticism

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I do as well as you . . . of course, that's not saying much . . .

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why can't we all just get along?

c'mon, who knows the words to kumbaya?
let's all sing.

Percentage/stats question

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