Tom Ritchford
Sep 7, 2018 · 1 min read

I disagree. Percentages are simply a form of representation of a ratio.

You cannot double a percentage using the same formal manipulations of symbols that you would use to double it when represented as a ratio, but there is an isomorphism between percentages and ratios.

There’s not quite enough to go on in the argument about data transformations, but I think it is again a representation problem.

Look at the decibel, a logarithmic unit such that adding 10 decibels represents multiplying a value (usually a power level) by 10. Again, while the rules to manipulate decibels to get the desired answer are different than if you had a raw ratio, you will continue to get correct and consistent values whether you perform your calculations in decibels, percentages, ratios, or real decimals.

Overall, an excellent article. I had never heard of any of this, and now it’s very clear to me. Well done!

    Tom Ritchford

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