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Data center emissions likely 662% higher than big tech claims. Can it keep up the ruse? Emissions from in-house data centers of Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple may be 7.62 times higher than official (www.theguardian.com)
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[-] Kazumara@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

are likely about 662% – or 7.62 times – higher than officially reported.

This annoys me. If the value is 662% higher than reported, then it is also:

  • 6.62 times higher than reported
  • 762% as high as reported
  • 7.62 times as high as reported

Whether you use percentage or a factor doesn't change the principle. "as high" signals a new value that is a straight multiple, "higher than" signals a change that is a multiple, so always assume a base of 1 or 100% on which the change is added.

By the way 1 and 100% is the exact same thing, and so is 662% and 6.62. Percent aren't magical they are just a short form for saying hundredths of 1.

In everyday speech they also signal that you're talking about a fractional value in relation to a different one that is hopefully clear from context. But it isn't always and people abuse that too.

this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2024
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