• MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    100 - 10/100 ≠ 90

    I’m not a fan of this at all and wish people would treat percentages as if they were a unit. x% is x of y per 100 total.

    x% = x yi / 100 ytotal

    Where yi is the species in question.

    My cup is 90% full: My cup contains 90 unitswater / per 100 unitscup

    This is why I don’t like Baker’s percentages. I guess it makes sense, because it’s still per cent, but they’re mixing the meaning used practically everywhere else these days.

    50% water for baking isn’t 50 unitswater / per 100 unitsdough, it’s 50 unitswater / per 100 units**flour**. In my mind that means you have 33.33% hydration, not 50%…

    Just feels weird to not express that as a ratio. But I guess it’s a shorthand that works for them :/

    • MacN'Cheezus@lemmy.today
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      2 days ago

      Yes I understand all that but I’m telling you standard calculators literally work that way.

      Just launch the calculator app on your phone or computer and give it a try, you’ll see.

      • Abnorc@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        I never used the percent button, lol. I am not about to start. Something about this doesn’t jive with my soul.

      • MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        This is very upsetting

        Thanks for the heads-up. I would have been happier never knowing haha

        The implied brackets. THE IMPLIED BRACKETS!! The horror.

        Thanks for the response kind soul

        • MacN'Cheezus@lemmy.today
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          2 days ago

          No worries. Yeah I get that it’s a bit weird if you know how to do it properly but it’s actually a fairly helpful trick for quickly calculating discounts, which I assume is the indented use. Remember, calculators were designed for lazy business folks who suck at math.

          This is exactly how someone who failed HS math would think about the problem, and conveniently, it just works.