SOLUTION: explain weather a 150% increase or a 150% decrease is possible.

Question 251896: explain weather a 150% increase or a 150% decrease is possible.
Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, jsmallt9:
Answer by Alan3354(69443) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A 150% increase is always possible. Note that a 150% increase is the same as multiplying by 2.5, not 1.5. A 150% increase from 100 --> 250, not 150. Likewise, 4 times faster is 5 times as fast, a distinction that is often lost on writers of textbooks.
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If you're dealing with objects, a 150% decrease might not be possible. For example, if you start with 10 apples, you can't have a 150% decrese in the number because you get -5 apples. It's possible in theoretical things, but can be contradictory in objects, and lead to nonsensical statements.

Answer by jsmallt9(3759) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
It is difficult to give simple yes or no answers to this. The answers depend on what is being increased or decreased. For example, 150% increases are probably possible most of the time. But a speed of a particle moving at 80% of the speed of light cannot be increased 150% because that would make it exceed the speed of light.

150% decreases can make sense if negative value make sense. For example, someone's net worth could decrease 150% (to where they owe more than the value of what they possess.) But on the other hand populations cannot decrease by 150% because a negative number for population is meaningless.

So the "short" answers:
150% increases are possible unless there is some fixed upper limit that cannot be exceeded.
150% decreases are possible if negative values have meaning.
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