Less than zero percent?

Can a percentage be in the negatives, like a -5% chance of something happening? Can a percentage of a total be in the negatives?

If negative fractions exist, doesn't this imply that negative percentages also exist?

@vivify said
Can a percentage be in the negatives, like a -5% chance of something happening? Can a percentage of a total be in the negatives?

If negative fractions exist, doesn't this imply that negative percentages also exist?

I need to open the lid on the top of my head and add another half quart of brain juice (coffee) before tackling this question.
hmmm, less than zero percent chance of something happening...

Okay, so maybe two and a half quarts.

@vivify
Negative %'s maybe can exist but I would think it would be something like saying some temperature below absolute zero.

@vivify said
Can a percentage be in the negatives, like a -5% chance of something happening? Can a percentage of a total be in the negatives?

If negative fractions exist, doesn't this imply that negative percentages also exist?

Yes it can.
If I buy something for 10 pounds ans sell it for 9 pounds I have made a percentage loss or a net return of minus 10%

@venda
There you go🙂 But would it be the same for the scenario he is talking about, statistics? Like can you have a negative 3% chance of a meteor hitting Earth?

@sonhouse said
@vivify
Negative %'s maybe can exist but I would think it would be something like saying some temperature below absolute zero.

I thought temperature could no go below absolute zero. Is absolute zero not "absolute"?

@sonhouse said
@venda
There you go🙂 But would it be the same for the scenario he is talking about, statistics? Like can you have a negative 3% chance of a meteor hitting Earth?

If a repelling force exists, and you factor that into a zero percent chance of a meteor strike, the repelling force could account for a small negative percentage.
A zero chance is highly unlikely, as is the existence of an unknown and unproven repelling force, but I suppose a -3% chance could be 'theoretically' possible under the right conditions.

@vivify said
Can a percentage be in the negatives, like a -5% chance of something happening? Can a percentage of a total be in the negatives?

If negative fractions exist, doesn't this imply that negative percentages also exist?

Yes, no because probability is restricted as bring from 0-100% but that’s not about percentages that’s about probability.

Percent means per 100. So, 4%= 4/100 - a fraction. In fact if you look at the % sign you will notice two zeroes and a slash representing that it’s a fraction with 100 as a denominator.

Negative percent might occur when discussing a loss in terms of income (10% loss in value is the same as -10% income).

@metal-brain said
I thought temperature could no go below absolute zero. Is absolute zero not "absolute"?

In fact temperature cannot equal zero either.

@athousandyoung said
In fact temperature cannot equal zero either.

Because of background microwave radiation.
But (again theoretically) if you could remove that warming influence wouldn't it be possible for temperature to fall down to absolute zero?

@venda said
Yes it can.
If I buy something for 10 pounds ans sell it for 9 pounds I have made a percentage loss or a net return of minus 10%

Is a ten percent loss the same as saying negative 10%?

For example, saying you lost 10 dollars isn't the same as having negative 10 dollars, right? 12 degrees lower doesn't mean minus 12 degrees below zero.

Likewise, I'm not sure that a loss of 10 percent equals negative 10 percent. I'm referring to a percentage that actually eqauls less than zero.

@Kilroy70
Not possible due to quantum mechanics, there are quasi particles bouncing in and out of existence in tiny increments of time that would never allow absolute zero, I don't remember the exact name of that stuff but absolute zero would mean zero energy and that is impossible due to the fact you can't know the energy and position to an arbitrary precision, so there will ALWAYS be some atom or particle that would spontaneously show up with some non-zero energy.

@sonhouse said
@Kilroy70
Not possible due to quantum mechanics, there are quasi particles bouncing in and out of existence in tiny increments of time that would never allow absolute zero, I don't remember the exact name of that stuff but absolute zero would mean zero energy and that is impossible due to the fact you can't know the energy and position to an arbitrary precision, so there will ALWAYS be some atom or particle that would spontaneously show up with some non-zero energy.

That sounds very familiar.
Loosely bound bundles of energy that quickly pop in and out of existence. I remember reading about those in the mid 70s.
Quarks?

Edit: Saying "in and out of existence" is not quite right. The energy doesn't suddenly "exist" and then cease to exist. It's more like they show up as loosely bound bundles of energy, and then quickly dissolves back into the surrounding space.

@athousandyoung said
Yes, no because probability is restricted as bring from 0-100% but that’s not about percentages that’s about probability.

Percent means per 100. So, 4%= 4/100 - a fraction. In fact if you look at the % sign you will notice two zeroes and a slash representing that it’s a fraction with 100 as a denominator.

Negative percent might occur when discussing a loss in terms of income (10% loss in value is the same as -10% income).

Somehow I missed this post.

So by the very definition of percentages being out of 100, the idea of a negative percentage is not possible, correct?

What about the fact that percentages can be over 100 percent? Like if business had a 200 percent increase in profits? If percentages can exceed 100 percent maybe they can be lower than zero? Unless I'm missing something you can clear up.

@vivify
Of course there can be either when it comes to money, you buy at 100, sell at 50, you have a minus 50% profit, or a 50% loss, take your pick.
Or you buy at 100, sell at 200, 200% gain, X2,