Three times (of?) the amount?

Question

Hi. Could we put the word "of" after phrases like "three times," "two thirds" and "ten percent"? As for example sentence 1, some how I feel the second "of" is not correct at the end of the sentence before the phrase "the amount." It's just a feeling and cannot explain it. Also, as to the underlined part, could we use the phrase "one half" or "a half" there? Thank you for your help in advance.

1. Three times (of?) the amount was what he was expecting, but he received two times the amount.
2. two thirds (of?) the amount was what he was expecting, but he received the half (of?) the amount.
3. Ten percent (of?) the amount was what he was expecting, but received fifteen percent (of?) the amount.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousCould we put the word "of" after phrases like "three times," "two thirds" and "ten percent"?

Not after phrases like "three times", but after the other two is OK.

1. Three times ~~(of?)~~ the amount was what he was expecting, but he received two times the amount.
2. Two thirds (of) the amount was what he was expecting, but he received half (of) the amount.
3. Ten percent of the amount was what he was expecting, but received fifteen percent of the amount.

With the amount

1. of is not correct.
2. of is optional. (Personally, I usually include it.)
3. of is required.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

On Saturday, a local hamburger shop sold a combined total of

404

hamburgers and cheeseburgers. The number of cheeseburgers sold was three times the number of hamburgers sold. How many hamburgers were sold on Saturday?

Three times (of?) the amount?

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