A million percent

[Lotster]

This bugs me a lot. Especially on reality shows like The Apprentice and X factor.

"I'm gonna give it a hundred and ten per cent!"

No, you're not, your going to give it a hundred per cent, because a "cent" is a hundred you tit!

and breath...

Oh I know, it's like 100% just doesn't cut it any more. Only losers give 100%, I give 110%!!

Especially on the X factor, where the judges seem to need to up the amount as they go across the panel...

Louis: a hundred per cent
Dannii: a thousand per cent
Cheryl: a million per cent

and so on. It makes my brain hurt.

Yeah it's a real pain - it's like they have no idea what they're talking about.... imagine that...

I suppose it depends what they are referring to. If they hadn't tried particularly hard in their previous performance then they could be giving 110% compared to that. For instance if they gave only 90% of their potential in the first performance, then 110% of the first performance would mean that the second performance would be 99% of their potential. As time goes by and they get instruction and voice coaching their potential increases, so they could possibly be improving their performance every time. Therefore every performance could be 110% of their previous one.

However the balance of probability suggests that this is not what they mean, and they are simply a bit thick.

Hee, glad I'm not the only one internalising (or not if you're Toadstool) anger over this!

It's not as if everyone in the country isn't taught what a percentage is in very early maths. Which is why I find it unforgiveable!

About the only context in which a million percent type figures are valid are when discussing the recent inflation rates in Zimbabwe. Which bugs me too but not for pedantic reasons.

Ahem... I spoke of this recently to dh. We're both mathematicians and I mentioned after at least 2 people commented that you couldn't get more than 100% that they were wrong. Because it would depends on what context you use them in. If you were to increase the size of a picture, then you are zooming it to more than 100% of its original size.

If you make a profit on selling something then you have more than 100% of what you had before.

Echo GTN too.

Of course you can have more than 100% - but not when it comes to effort / how are you feeling / etc

The one which bugs me nearly as much even more is "247365" (or variations) - because that is 7 years, and that is not what they mean...

aaargh - blooming '*'s

I meant 24 7 365

Stealth. You weren't giving that a hundred percent were you? :-)

From the mouths of the same idiots, did anyone else notice that Britain's Got Talent last year had > three < SEMI-finals.

Think about it.

the percent thing drives me barmy too.

I saw a notice on a shop.... "Open 24/7 five days a week"
??

Hah! brilliant.