Comment by mgraczyk
No it isn't
Suppose you were running a computation that requires doing 33,000 multiplies. Later you find a way to do the same computation using only 1,000 multiples
That's basically what happened here
No it isn't
Suppose you were running a computation that requires doing 33,000 multiplies. Later you find a way to do the same computation using only 1,000 multiples
That's basically what happened here
33,000 multiples - (33 * 33,000 multiples) = -1056000 multiples
"Reduce by 97%" is simple, clear, and accurate.
"Reduce 33x" and "make 33x smaller" are ambiguous, unclear, and inaccurate. Is something that's "33x smaller" or "reduced 33x" 1/33 of the original total or is it 1/34? The question can't be answered in the absence of more information.
These are common expressions, sure. They're also awful, belonging to the same category of error as:
* The price is expensive
* It's a good-quality piece
* All but one of my friends speaks like this.
* Here's an author whom we know cares about language.
* As well, this is how some people write.
That is, they're the errors of a normal native speaker.
[flagged]