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Overthinker Posted 4 years ago
Grammar

How should I understand "X times more"

How should I understand the phrase "x times more" and "x times less?

I'm not sure if they have two meanings each, one you take as an addition and the other as a multiplication.

If for example, I went into the office 4 times and someone "went in the office 5 times more than I did", does that mean that the times they went in there is: 4+5= 9 times? Or should I understand it as a multiplication of 4*5=20 times?

Is it the same understanding for "x times less"?

  

Top answer

Eren8hisfather I'm not sure if they have two meanings each, one you take as an addition and the other as a multiplication. You're right. They are ambiguous.

— Anonymous

  • Eren8hisfather I'm not sure if they have two meanings each, one you take as an addition and the other as a multiplication.
  • You're right.
  • They are ambiguous.
  • But for addition we can say "x more times", and we usually do.
  • Eren8hisfather Is it the same understanding for "x times less"?
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2 Answers
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Eren8hisfatherI'm not sure if they have two meanings each, one you take as an addition and the other as a multiplication.

You're right. They are ambiguous. But for addition we can say "x more times", and we usually do.

Eren8hisfatherIs it the same understanding for "x times less"?

No. For one thing, it's "x fewer t

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Eren8hisfatherIf for example, I went into the office 4 times and someone "went in the office 5 times more than I did", does that mean that the times they went in there is: 4+5= 9 times? Or should I understand it as a multiplication of 4*5=20 times?

You have stumbled upon "an unfortunate coincidence", namely, that you are working with two meanings of 'times'

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