Question

In Exercises 29–36, answer the given questions, which are related to percentages.

Percentages in Advertising: An ad for Big Skinny wallets included the statement that one of their wallets “reduces your filled wallet size by 50%–200%.” What is wrong with this statement?

Short answer

For the given case, a 200% reduction is not meaningful.

Step-by-step solution

Given information

The ad given by Big Skinny wallets claims that the wallets would reduce in size by 50% to 200%.

Interpretation of the percentage value

A percentage is a value computed against a frequency; over a certain base value. It is measure equivalent of the portion taken from the base quantity.

Statement in terms of the study

The statement says that the wallet size reduces by a percentage amount of 50% to 200%.

Fifty percent implies that the wallet size reduces to half of the original. On the other hand, 200% implies the wallet size reduces more than the original.

A reduction in size that is more than the original is not possible.

Thus, the value of 200% is not valid.