Do you think the general public understands what percentage means?

[speg]

I have run into this a lot recently. People just don't seem to "get" the concept of percentage. I just had my cousin, who has a university degree, text me asking "What is 20% of 128,000?" Seriously? One of my roommates also always asks me what her grade is if she got x out of y and it's worth z% of her grade.

This worries me, because when we talk about things like the economy growing 3% or getting a return of 7% do these people have any idea what we're talking about?

 

[theprodigalrebel]

I'd say about 79% of them do.

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel
I'd say about 79% of them do.

79.6% now

79 was 2007

 

[TallBill]

Who is this "general public" that you speak of?

 

[oiprocs]

Originally posted by: speg
I have run into this a lot recently. People just don't seem to "get" the concept of percentage. I just had my cousin, who has a university degree, text me asking "What is 20% of 128,000?" Seriously? One of my roommates also always asks me what her grade is if she got x out of y and it's worth z% of her grade.

This worries me, because when we talk about things like the economy growing 3% or getting a return of 7% do these people have any idea what we're talking about?

Sooo, are you complaining? You can do something that others can't, and you want them to have this gift?

Survival of the fittest. Do not try to save everyone.

 

[speg]

Originally posted by: TallBill
Who is this "general public" that you speak of?

For the purposes of this thread, the "general public" is a random sampling of adults between the ages of 18 and 80 living in North America.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: speg

Originally posted by: TallBill
Who is this "general public" that you speak of?

For the purposes of this thread, the "general public" is a random sampling of adults between the ages of 18 and 80 living in North America.

What % of this population are you using for your sample?

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: speg

Originally posted by: TallBill
Who is this "general public" that you speak of?

For the purposes of this thread, the "general public" is a random sampling of adults between the ages of 18 and 80 living in North America.

What % of this population are you using for your sample?

From the looks of it...


2

 

[Gothgar]

I would say no

 

[sonambulo]

Originally posted by: Gothgar
I would say no

I'll second that bitch

 

[PrinceofWands]

I'd say a good number understand percentage, but the concept of percentile just boggles most of em.

 

[rudeguy]

pics of roommate?

 

[DrPizza]

I'm not sure if you could call it "understand" or not. However, the vast majority of Americans cannot do computations on problems that involve percents. i.e. If something's on sale for 25% off, most Americans could not tell you the final price. And, if you're convinced they can, then a second example is figuring out how much tax there is on a $70 item, given a sales tax of 5%, 6%, 7% or 8%. (all simple mental problems.)

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
I'm not sure if you could call it "understand" or not. However, the vast majority of Americans cannot do computations on problems that involve percents. i.e. If something's on sale for 25% off, most Americans could not tell you the final price. And, if you're convinced they can, then a second example is figuring out how much tax there is on a $70 item, given a sales tax of 5%, 6%, 7% or 8%. (all simple mental problems.)

Your sales tax example is definitely true. Most cant even throw out an estimate.