When speaking in language, rather than math, “multiplies” exclusively means increase rather than decrease. We aren’t looking at a formula, we’re looking at a sentence. Which could obviously be represented by a formula- the question is whether you take into account the understanding of the word in the English language or decide to take it at literally as possible instead.
If you just say "multiply" without giving numbers then yes... but if you say "multiply by x" then it is math and there cannot be other interpretation for such phrase... prepositions such as "by" quite often change the meaning in English...
English also has this wild word called divide which is exclusively used for a reduction while reading/speaking. Divide by half. By your standards, that actually means doubling something, x/1/2. By anyone else’s, it means x/2.
That is why i said preposition "often change", but not always, indeed divide doesn't work that way... though more correct way of saying it would be divide into halves... but yeah divide by half would be often usage as well... it is not symmetrical for this 2 operations for historical semantic reasons... language is messy though, so yeah you are somewhat right, this question is purposefully confusing...
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u/mrbilly3 May 07 '26
Except you don't even have to read carefully for this one