What does it mean if something is 150% stronger than something else?

[kramer733]

Recently I've heard about the new next gen console coming along. (Wii U) and I've heard rumors that it is 50% stronger than the ps3. That means it's 1.5x stronger than the ps3.

So if it's 100% stronger than the ps3, the wii U would be 2x stronger.

After 100%, i don't know how it works. If something is 150% stronger than something else, what does it mean in terms of multiplication?

Can somebody explain to me how it works? Would 150% mean 3.5x better?

 

[zhermes]

You're on the right track kramer733.

If something is 150% stronger, that means you add it's original 100% strength to the new 150%, i.e.:
$$100 \% + 150\% = 250\%$$. And remember that 'per-cent' means relative to 100, therefore, we can rewrite the percentage as a number:
$$250\% = 250/100 = 2.5$$
So something 150% stronger, means it is 2.5x as strong.

 

[kramer733]

Just curious but why do we add the 100%? Like i sort of understand it but the understanding is at the tip of my tongue.

150%/100 would only be 1.5x as strong. So we add 100% but i feel like that part is still weird to me.

 

[zhermes]

Because its not just "150 percent the strength" which would be 150%,
instead, its "150 percent more" or "150 percent stronger" so you have to add it to the original (which is 100%).

 

[dalcde]

Let's take the extreme case - it is 0% stronger, which means it is not stronger. You don't multiply by 0%, or else Wii U would be utterly useless. Instead we take 1+0%, since it is 0% in addition to the original 100%. Just remember that the 100% is just 1, which is the whole, or original thing (adding 100% is adding the original strength to the bonus strength).

 

[kramer733]

Thanks. That clarified a lot.