chisc 25*50% on the other hand, GOS' calc treats at as "0.5"!
Of course it does, since we've left addition for multiplication, but we're still talking 'times 0.5' in both cases. Consider these Y-fragments just for making it even more basic (easier for me to write, I'm not disregarding you😉);
Y+50%
should, yes, should be read as 'Y gains half of itself', aka 'Y plus (0.5 times Y)'
While
Y*50%
should be taken as 'Y gets halved', aka ½, aka 'Y times 0.5'
The confusing part is that the addition looks more complex;
Y plus (0.5 times Y)
compared to the multiplication
Y times 0.5
even though when not outspoken they look so equal
Y+50%
Y*50%
It even confuses the coding of some calculator apps.
I would say that absolute certainty about the precise effects of
'plus 50%' vs 'times 50%'
is decisive for our ships not to explode on the launch pads, our crops not to fail, our AI not to rebel etc.
And why the present diverging calculator apps, could it be that coding calculator apps is hard and complicated
beyond the basic maths, which is not really a subjective issue on this level. Just look at our posts, the maths we agree on!😉
50% really equals 0.5
50% also equals ½
or
'Times 0.5'
I'm aware of that when the complexity goes up- things does get subjective , most things aren't objectively right/wrong, but down at this rather fundamental level, they must be, else our calculators goes hazardous to use (some of them are).
And there are some old calculator devices that won't remember the former operator in 3 + 2 * 4
so they go 3+2, ah, I know this, its 5! Then go 5 * 4, and they get 20 instead of 11
I'd guess this device requires less complex coding to make, but any ten year old kid that outputs anything other than 11, when solving 3 + 2 * 4, gets corrected for it, anywhere in the world.