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'Times' or 'Times By'

  • 12-07-2019 1:24am
    #1
    Curious Scot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 61 ✭✭


    When reading multiplication of numbers aloud, do you say "X Times Y" or "X Times by Y"?
    I have noticed that the latter is used a lot in Countdown.

    Personally, I would say "X Times Y".

    'X Times Y' or 'X Times by Y'? 5 votes

    Times
    60% 3 votes
    Times by
    40% 2 votes


Comments

  • #2
    Yakuza
    Registered Users Posts: 5,141 ✭✭✭Yakuza


    For me, "times" all day long. I've done a good few online tutorials (with a mathematical element) over the years (with English tutors) and almost to a man / woman they say "times by". I thought it sounded odd, but I used "divided by" when talking about division, or sometimes I say "multiplied by" when talking about multiplication, so who am I to judge? :)


  • #3
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,043 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Times is grammatically correct - 6 times 4 is another way of saying 6, 4 times, either way it is 24. 'Times by' doesn't work, but 'multiplied by' does. They are different parts of speech. In the same way you could not say 6 multiplied 4, it has to be 'multiplied by'.


  • #4
    Yakuza
    Registered Users Posts: 5,141 ✭✭✭Yakuza


    I agree, but "times" seems to have crept into usage in the classroom as a verb (as in, you "times" something by something else). Good luck putting that genie back in the bottle.

    I'm pretty sure in India, they say "X into Y" when multiplying X by Y - now that just seems odd!


  • #5
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,345 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    I either use "X" times "Y", or "X" (multiplied) by "Y".


  • #6
    MathsManiac
    Registered Users Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭MathsManiac


    X times Y - yes
    X multiplied by Y - yes
    X by Y - yes
    X times by Y - Nooooooooooo!


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  • #7
    Curious Scot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 61 ✭✭Curious Scot


    MathsManiac wrote: »
    X times Y - yes
    X multiplied by Y - yes
    X by Y - yes
    X times by Y - Nooooooooooo!

    It's a pity that they don't do it on Countdown!


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