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How to pronounce the slash sign


How do I pronounce 1/4 bath, 1/2 and 3/4 bath?How do I pronounce these fractions?episode and # — can the two be used together?Is there a short form of “greater than or equal to” (≥)How to pronounce decimals?how do pronounce assignment = in math or programming?Symbol names in EnglishHow to pronounce 'GB'?How to pronounce 'GB' (the island)?Negative numbers: “minus” or “negative”?






.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;








15
















There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




Would it be correct to say “to” instead of the slash sign while speaking, like:




51% to 49%




If “to” is wrong, please correct me.










share|improve this question






























    15
















    There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




    Would it be correct to say “to” instead of the slash sign while speaking, like:




    51% to 49%




    If “to” is wrong, please correct me.










    share|improve this question


























      15












      15








      15


      2







      There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




      Would it be correct to say “to” instead of the slash sign while speaking, like:




      51% to 49%




      If “to” is wrong, please correct me.










      share|improve this question

















      There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




      Would it be correct to say “to” instead of the slash sign while speaking, like:




      51% to 49%




      If “to” is wrong, please correct me.







      reading-aloud






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Mar 27 at 23:11









      Jasper

      19.7k43974




      19.7k43974










      asked Mar 27 at 7:34









      language learnerlanguage learner

      19618




      19618




















          5 Answers
          5






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          37














          Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:




          eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".




          You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.



          The "slash" symbols (/ and ) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.



          In your example...




          There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




          ... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.



          A ratio expressed using the format "51:49" would normally be pronounced:




          Fifty-one to forty-nine.




          However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:




          Fifty-one forty-nine.




          There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example, a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. Whatever the symbol, you should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.






          share|improve this answer




















          • 4





            Actually, the name of "/" is simply "slash", but because so many people confuse it with the backslash "" it has become increasingly common to call "/" "forward slash".

            – Monty Harder
            Mar 27 at 19:31






          • 2





            I'm upvoting mostly for the last part, which is how I'd say it: Fifty-one forty-nine. Also, as a footnote, when writing the OP's sentence, I'd be more inclined to use a hyphen, not a slash: There is another common business type of partnership 51% - 49%. (Incidentally, this reminds me: Many sporting venues have 50-50 raffles. However, Las Vegas recently got an NHL expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights. I had a chance to attend a game, and was amused to see they were conducting a 51-49 raffle. You see, the house always wins in Vegas.)

            – J.R.
            Mar 27 at 21:34







          • 3





            +1 also because of needing to be aware of the intended meaning. So while I think saying "the odds are 50/50" as "fifty fifty" is fine and the most likely way to hear it you would not be correct to say "they have already used up 2/3 of the time" as "two three". This has a different meaing to 50/50 and should be said as "two thirds" (or "two out of three" if the sentence was phrased a little differently).

            – Eric Nolan
            Mar 28 at 9:41











          • @MontyHarder Yes, that's likely why backslash is a compound word and forward slash is not. It is important to recognise the difference though - although this is not an English language matter, in mathematics they are used to denote a rounded division and a division with a remainder. Again this comes down to knowing what you are reading.

            – Astralbee
            Mar 28 at 9:49






          • 1





            @gidds we're getting into maths here more than English. It isn't the correct way to express a ratio, but when you compare two percentages that represent a split it is essentially the same as a ratio, and the normal way to separate the two is with a slash. It would be strange to present two percentages as a ratio when percentages are, by nature, out of 100, whereas ratios are normally shown in the lowest possible terms. 50/50 is the same as 1:1.

            – Astralbee
            Mar 29 at 8:20


















          13














          Many times, slashes and hyphens are left silent when reading expressions that use them. For example:




          • Marriage is a 50/50 relationship.

          • We need to be vigilant 24/7.

          • The school will hold its first 50-50 raffle on Friday.

          • The measure passed 51-49.

          • Liverpool and Manchester played to a 2-2 tie.


          • The Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling yesterday.




          All of those can be said aloud without the use of a preposition, and without the mention of a punctuation mark between the two numerical values. (The word to could be used in those last three, but it's also commonly omitted.)



          I'd be inclined to read your sentence without any mention of the slash.






          share|improve this answer























          • I'd be inclined to reword the sentence into an idiomatic form, so that it's clear that it's a comparison of percentages, and not something else. E.g. the number 5,149, or a legal/technical reference. (Compare to 501(c)3.) "There is another common business type of partnership with a 51% / 49% split," would communicate far more easily.

            – jpaugh
            2 days ago



















          2














          It is basically representation of ratio. So there are various ways you can say/express it.




          It is same as to ask whether a bar chart or line graph is correct to
          summarize a data. While both of these are appropriate/correct for the
          task, it is completely an individual choice.




          "Obviously, something totally vague is not going to work"



          But anything that expresses correctly the proportion of how one is related to the other is CORRECT.






          share|improve this answer






























            0














            Many people say it differently, and I guess all are fine. For example:



            • 51% to 49%

            • 51% slash 49%

            • 51% over 49%

            • 51% or 49%

            Mathematically speaking, over is correct.






            share|improve this answer




















            • 5





              Perhaps over would work fine for a mathematical fraction, but, in the OP's context, I'm not sure I'd classify it as a fraction. When people say things like, "We have a 50/50 partnership," it seems more like a stock phrase than a mathematical expression.

              – J.R.
              Mar 27 at 21:45












            • "To", "over" and "or" are not at all valid in the same contexts. They have different meanings! Even in mathematics, there is room for ambiguity: you have to agree with the author on which notation is in use, because it's not always the same. For example x is often used to represent a cross-product, rather than multiplication.

              – jpaugh
              2 days ago



















            0














            The most correct answer would probably be versus ( or vs for short) but this is a little clumsy in spoken language, so most commonly the slash would become completely silent.



            In this context, to is wrong - it would mean that you were talking about a range FROM 51% to 49% when in fact the second number is redundant in this use.






            share|improve this answer


















            • 5





              I disagree about "to" meaning a range. A sports call of "They won 51 to 49" doesn't mean "from" at all, it just implies the two different scores. Likewise you could have "X was the majority owner 51% to 49%"

              – Dragonel
              Mar 27 at 16:53











            Your Answer








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            5 Answers
            5






            active

            oldest

            votes








            5 Answers
            5






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            37














            Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:




            eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".




            You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.



            The "slash" symbols (/ and ) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.



            In your example...




            There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




            ... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.



            A ratio expressed using the format "51:49" would normally be pronounced:




            Fifty-one to forty-nine.




            However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:




            Fifty-one forty-nine.




            There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example, a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. Whatever the symbol, you should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.






            share|improve this answer




















            • 4





              Actually, the name of "/" is simply "slash", but because so many people confuse it with the backslash "" it has become increasingly common to call "/" "forward slash".

              – Monty Harder
              Mar 27 at 19:31






            • 2





              I'm upvoting mostly for the last part, which is how I'd say it: Fifty-one forty-nine. Also, as a footnote, when writing the OP's sentence, I'd be more inclined to use a hyphen, not a slash: There is another common business type of partnership 51% - 49%. (Incidentally, this reminds me: Many sporting venues have 50-50 raffles. However, Las Vegas recently got an NHL expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights. I had a chance to attend a game, and was amused to see they were conducting a 51-49 raffle. You see, the house always wins in Vegas.)

              – J.R.
              Mar 27 at 21:34







            • 3





              +1 also because of needing to be aware of the intended meaning. So while I think saying "the odds are 50/50" as "fifty fifty" is fine and the most likely way to hear it you would not be correct to say "they have already used up 2/3 of the time" as "two three". This has a different meaing to 50/50 and should be said as "two thirds" (or "two out of three" if the sentence was phrased a little differently).

              – Eric Nolan
              Mar 28 at 9:41











            • @MontyHarder Yes, that's likely why backslash is a compound word and forward slash is not. It is important to recognise the difference though - although this is not an English language matter, in mathematics they are used to denote a rounded division and a division with a remainder. Again this comes down to knowing what you are reading.

              – Astralbee
              Mar 28 at 9:49






            • 1





              @gidds we're getting into maths here more than English. It isn't the correct way to express a ratio, but when you compare two percentages that represent a split it is essentially the same as a ratio, and the normal way to separate the two is with a slash. It would be strange to present two percentages as a ratio when percentages are, by nature, out of 100, whereas ratios are normally shown in the lowest possible terms. 50/50 is the same as 1:1.

              – Astralbee
              Mar 29 at 8:20















            37














            Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:




            eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".




            You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.



            The "slash" symbols (/ and ) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.



            In your example...




            There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




            ... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.



            A ratio expressed using the format "51:49" would normally be pronounced:




            Fifty-one to forty-nine.




            However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:




            Fifty-one forty-nine.




            There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example, a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. Whatever the symbol, you should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.






            share|improve this answer




















            • 4





              Actually, the name of "/" is simply "slash", but because so many people confuse it with the backslash "" it has become increasingly common to call "/" "forward slash".

              – Monty Harder
              Mar 27 at 19:31






            • 2





              I'm upvoting mostly for the last part, which is how I'd say it: Fifty-one forty-nine. Also, as a footnote, when writing the OP's sentence, I'd be more inclined to use a hyphen, not a slash: There is another common business type of partnership 51% - 49%. (Incidentally, this reminds me: Many sporting venues have 50-50 raffles. However, Las Vegas recently got an NHL expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights. I had a chance to attend a game, and was amused to see they were conducting a 51-49 raffle. You see, the house always wins in Vegas.)

              – J.R.
              Mar 27 at 21:34







            • 3





              +1 also because of needing to be aware of the intended meaning. So while I think saying "the odds are 50/50" as "fifty fifty" is fine and the most likely way to hear it you would not be correct to say "they have already used up 2/3 of the time" as "two three". This has a different meaing to 50/50 and should be said as "two thirds" (or "two out of three" if the sentence was phrased a little differently).

              – Eric Nolan
              Mar 28 at 9:41











            • @MontyHarder Yes, that's likely why backslash is a compound word and forward slash is not. It is important to recognise the difference though - although this is not an English language matter, in mathematics they are used to denote a rounded division and a division with a remainder. Again this comes down to knowing what you are reading.

              – Astralbee
              Mar 28 at 9:49






            • 1





              @gidds we're getting into maths here more than English. It isn't the correct way to express a ratio, but when you compare two percentages that represent a split it is essentially the same as a ratio, and the normal way to separate the two is with a slash. It would be strange to present two percentages as a ratio when percentages are, by nature, out of 100, whereas ratios are normally shown in the lowest possible terms. 50/50 is the same as 1:1.

              – Astralbee
              Mar 29 at 8:20













            37












            37








            37







            Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:




            eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".




            You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.



            The "slash" symbols (/ and ) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.



            In your example...




            There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




            ... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.



            A ratio expressed using the format "51:49" would normally be pronounced:




            Fifty-one to forty-nine.




            However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:




            Fifty-one forty-nine.




            There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example, a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. Whatever the symbol, you should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.






            share|improve this answer















            Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:




            eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".




            You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.



            The "slash" symbols (/ and ) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.



            In your example...




            There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.




            ... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.



            A ratio expressed using the format "51:49" would normally be pronounced:




            Fifty-one to forty-nine.




            However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:




            Fifty-one forty-nine.




            There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example, a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. Whatever the symbol, you should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited Mar 27 at 13:19

























            answered Mar 27 at 11:27









            AstralbeeAstralbee

            14.2k1350




            14.2k1350







            • 4





              Actually, the name of "/" is simply "slash", but because so many people confuse it with the backslash "" it has become increasingly common to call "/" "forward slash".

              – Monty Harder
              Mar 27 at 19:31






            • 2





              I'm upvoting mostly for the last part, which is how I'd say it: Fifty-one forty-nine. Also, as a footnote, when writing the OP's sentence, I'd be more inclined to use a hyphen, not a slash: There is another common business type of partnership 51% - 49%. (Incidentally, this reminds me: Many sporting venues have 50-50 raffles. However, Las Vegas recently got an NHL expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights. I had a chance to attend a game, and was amused to see they were conducting a 51-49 raffle. You see, the house always wins in Vegas.)

              – J.R.
              Mar 27 at 21:34







            • 3





              +1 also because of needing to be aware of the intended meaning. So while I think saying "the odds are 50/50" as "fifty fifty" is fine and the most likely way to hear it you would not be correct to say "they have already used up 2/3 of the time" as "two three". This has a different meaing to 50/50 and should be said as "two thirds" (or "two out of three" if the sentence was phrased a little differently).

              – Eric Nolan
              Mar 28 at 9:41











            • @MontyHarder Yes, that's likely why backslash is a compound word and forward slash is not. It is important to recognise the difference though - although this is not an English language matter, in mathematics they are used to denote a rounded division and a division with a remainder. Again this comes down to knowing what you are reading.

              – Astralbee
              Mar 28 at 9:49






            • 1





              @gidds we're getting into maths here more than English. It isn't the correct way to express a ratio, but when you compare two percentages that represent a split it is essentially the same as a ratio, and the normal way to separate the two is with a slash. It would be strange to present two percentages as a ratio when percentages are, by nature, out of 100, whereas ratios are normally shown in the lowest possible terms. 50/50 is the same as 1:1.

              – Astralbee
              Mar 29 at 8:20












            • 4





              Actually, the name of "/" is simply "slash", but because so many people confuse it with the backslash "" it has become increasingly common to call "/" "forward slash".

              – Monty Harder
              Mar 27 at 19:31






            • 2





              I'm upvoting mostly for the last part, which is how I'd say it: Fifty-one forty-nine. Also, as a footnote, when writing the OP's sentence, I'd be more inclined to use a hyphen, not a slash: There is another common business type of partnership 51% - 49%. (Incidentally, this reminds me: Many sporting venues have 50-50 raffles. However, Las Vegas recently got an NHL expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights. I had a chance to attend a game, and was amused to see they were conducting a 51-49 raffle. You see, the house always wins in Vegas.)

              – J.R.
              Mar 27 at 21:34







            • 3





              +1 also because of needing to be aware of the intended meaning. So while I think saying "the odds are 50/50" as "fifty fifty" is fine and the most likely way to hear it you would not be correct to say "they have already used up 2/3 of the time" as "two three". This has a different meaing to 50/50 and should be said as "two thirds" (or "two out of three" if the sentence was phrased a little differently).

              – Eric Nolan
              Mar 28 at 9:41











            • @MontyHarder Yes, that's likely why backslash is a compound word and forward slash is not. It is important to recognise the difference though - although this is not an English language matter, in mathematics they are used to denote a rounded division and a division with a remainder. Again this comes down to knowing what you are reading.

              – Astralbee
              Mar 28 at 9:49






            • 1





              @gidds we're getting into maths here more than English. It isn't the correct way to express a ratio, but when you compare two percentages that represent a split it is essentially the same as a ratio, and the normal way to separate the two is with a slash. It would be strange to present two percentages as a ratio when percentages are, by nature, out of 100, whereas ratios are normally shown in the lowest possible terms. 50/50 is the same as 1:1.

              – Astralbee
              Mar 29 at 8:20







            4




            4





            Actually, the name of "/" is simply "slash", but because so many people confuse it with the backslash "" it has become increasingly common to call "/" "forward slash".

            – Monty Harder
            Mar 27 at 19:31





            Actually, the name of "/" is simply "slash", but because so many people confuse it with the backslash "" it has become increasingly common to call "/" "forward slash".

            – Monty Harder
            Mar 27 at 19:31




            2




            2





            I'm upvoting mostly for the last part, which is how I'd say it: Fifty-one forty-nine. Also, as a footnote, when writing the OP's sentence, I'd be more inclined to use a hyphen, not a slash: There is another common business type of partnership 51% - 49%. (Incidentally, this reminds me: Many sporting venues have 50-50 raffles. However, Las Vegas recently got an NHL expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights. I had a chance to attend a game, and was amused to see they were conducting a 51-49 raffle. You see, the house always wins in Vegas.)

            – J.R.
            Mar 27 at 21:34






            I'm upvoting mostly for the last part, which is how I'd say it: Fifty-one forty-nine. Also, as a footnote, when writing the OP's sentence, I'd be more inclined to use a hyphen, not a slash: There is another common business type of partnership 51% - 49%. (Incidentally, this reminds me: Many sporting venues have 50-50 raffles. However, Las Vegas recently got an NHL expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights. I had a chance to attend a game, and was amused to see they were conducting a 51-49 raffle. You see, the house always wins in Vegas.)

            – J.R.
            Mar 27 at 21:34





            3




            3





            +1 also because of needing to be aware of the intended meaning. So while I think saying "the odds are 50/50" as "fifty fifty" is fine and the most likely way to hear it you would not be correct to say "they have already used up 2/3 of the time" as "two three". This has a different meaing to 50/50 and should be said as "two thirds" (or "two out of three" if the sentence was phrased a little differently).

            – Eric Nolan
            Mar 28 at 9:41





            +1 also because of needing to be aware of the intended meaning. So while I think saying "the odds are 50/50" as "fifty fifty" is fine and the most likely way to hear it you would not be correct to say "they have already used up 2/3 of the time" as "two three". This has a different meaing to 50/50 and should be said as "two thirds" (or "two out of three" if the sentence was phrased a little differently).

            – Eric Nolan
            Mar 28 at 9:41













            @MontyHarder Yes, that's likely why backslash is a compound word and forward slash is not. It is important to recognise the difference though - although this is not an English language matter, in mathematics they are used to denote a rounded division and a division with a remainder. Again this comes down to knowing what you are reading.

            – Astralbee
            Mar 28 at 9:49





            @MontyHarder Yes, that's likely why backslash is a compound word and forward slash is not. It is important to recognise the difference though - although this is not an English language matter, in mathematics they are used to denote a rounded division and a division with a remainder. Again this comes down to knowing what you are reading.

            – Astralbee
            Mar 28 at 9:49




            1




            1





            @gidds we're getting into maths here more than English. It isn't the correct way to express a ratio, but when you compare two percentages that represent a split it is essentially the same as a ratio, and the normal way to separate the two is with a slash. It would be strange to present two percentages as a ratio when percentages are, by nature, out of 100, whereas ratios are normally shown in the lowest possible terms. 50/50 is the same as 1:1.

            – Astralbee
            Mar 29 at 8:20





            @gidds we're getting into maths here more than English. It isn't the correct way to express a ratio, but when you compare two percentages that represent a split it is essentially the same as a ratio, and the normal way to separate the two is with a slash. It would be strange to present two percentages as a ratio when percentages are, by nature, out of 100, whereas ratios are normally shown in the lowest possible terms. 50/50 is the same as 1:1.

            – Astralbee
            Mar 29 at 8:20













            13














            Many times, slashes and hyphens are left silent when reading expressions that use them. For example:




            • Marriage is a 50/50 relationship.

            • We need to be vigilant 24/7.

            • The school will hold its first 50-50 raffle on Friday.

            • The measure passed 51-49.

            • Liverpool and Manchester played to a 2-2 tie.


            • The Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling yesterday.




            All of those can be said aloud without the use of a preposition, and without the mention of a punctuation mark between the two numerical values. (The word to could be used in those last three, but it's also commonly omitted.)



            I'd be inclined to read your sentence without any mention of the slash.






            share|improve this answer























            • I'd be inclined to reword the sentence into an idiomatic form, so that it's clear that it's a comparison of percentages, and not something else. E.g. the number 5,149, or a legal/technical reference. (Compare to 501(c)3.) "There is another common business type of partnership with a 51% / 49% split," would communicate far more easily.

              – jpaugh
              2 days ago
















            13














            Many times, slashes and hyphens are left silent when reading expressions that use them. For example:




            • Marriage is a 50/50 relationship.

            • We need to be vigilant 24/7.

            • The school will hold its first 50-50 raffle on Friday.

            • The measure passed 51-49.

            • Liverpool and Manchester played to a 2-2 tie.


            • The Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling yesterday.




            All of those can be said aloud without the use of a preposition, and without the mention of a punctuation mark between the two numerical values. (The word to could be used in those last three, but it's also commonly omitted.)



            I'd be inclined to read your sentence without any mention of the slash.






            share|improve this answer























            • I'd be inclined to reword the sentence into an idiomatic form, so that it's clear that it's a comparison of percentages, and not something else. E.g. the number 5,149, or a legal/technical reference. (Compare to 501(c)3.) "There is another common business type of partnership with a 51% / 49% split," would communicate far more easily.

              – jpaugh
              2 days ago














            13












            13








            13







            Many times, slashes and hyphens are left silent when reading expressions that use them. For example:




            • Marriage is a 50/50 relationship.

            • We need to be vigilant 24/7.

            • The school will hold its first 50-50 raffle on Friday.

            • The measure passed 51-49.

            • Liverpool and Manchester played to a 2-2 tie.


            • The Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling yesterday.




            All of those can be said aloud without the use of a preposition, and without the mention of a punctuation mark between the two numerical values. (The word to could be used in those last three, but it's also commonly omitted.)



            I'd be inclined to read your sentence without any mention of the slash.






            share|improve this answer













            Many times, slashes and hyphens are left silent when reading expressions that use them. For example:




            • Marriage is a 50/50 relationship.

            • We need to be vigilant 24/7.

            • The school will hold its first 50-50 raffle on Friday.

            • The measure passed 51-49.

            • Liverpool and Manchester played to a 2-2 tie.


            • The Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling yesterday.




            All of those can be said aloud without the use of a preposition, and without the mention of a punctuation mark between the two numerical values. (The word to could be used in those last three, but it's also commonly omitted.)



            I'd be inclined to read your sentence without any mention of the slash.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Mar 27 at 21:58









            J.R.J.R.

            100k8129249




            100k8129249












            • I'd be inclined to reword the sentence into an idiomatic form, so that it's clear that it's a comparison of percentages, and not something else. E.g. the number 5,149, or a legal/technical reference. (Compare to 501(c)3.) "There is another common business type of partnership with a 51% / 49% split," would communicate far more easily.

              – jpaugh
              2 days ago


















            • I'd be inclined to reword the sentence into an idiomatic form, so that it's clear that it's a comparison of percentages, and not something else. E.g. the number 5,149, or a legal/technical reference. (Compare to 501(c)3.) "There is another common business type of partnership with a 51% / 49% split," would communicate far more easily.

              – jpaugh
              2 days ago

















            I'd be inclined to reword the sentence into an idiomatic form, so that it's clear that it's a comparison of percentages, and not something else. E.g. the number 5,149, or a legal/technical reference. (Compare to 501(c)3.) "There is another common business type of partnership with a 51% / 49% split," would communicate far more easily.

            – jpaugh
            2 days ago






            I'd be inclined to reword the sentence into an idiomatic form, so that it's clear that it's a comparison of percentages, and not something else. E.g. the number 5,149, or a legal/technical reference. (Compare to 501(c)3.) "There is another common business type of partnership with a 51% / 49% split," would communicate far more easily.

            – jpaugh
            2 days ago












            2














            It is basically representation of ratio. So there are various ways you can say/express it.




            It is same as to ask whether a bar chart or line graph is correct to
            summarize a data. While both of these are appropriate/correct for the
            task, it is completely an individual choice.




            "Obviously, something totally vague is not going to work"



            But anything that expresses correctly the proportion of how one is related to the other is CORRECT.






            share|improve this answer



























              2














              It is basically representation of ratio. So there are various ways you can say/express it.




              It is same as to ask whether a bar chart or line graph is correct to
              summarize a data. While both of these are appropriate/correct for the
              task, it is completely an individual choice.




              "Obviously, something totally vague is not going to work"



              But anything that expresses correctly the proportion of how one is related to the other is CORRECT.






              share|improve this answer

























                2












                2








                2







                It is basically representation of ratio. So there are various ways you can say/express it.




                It is same as to ask whether a bar chart or line graph is correct to
                summarize a data. While both of these are appropriate/correct for the
                task, it is completely an individual choice.




                "Obviously, something totally vague is not going to work"



                But anything that expresses correctly the proportion of how one is related to the other is CORRECT.






                share|improve this answer













                It is basically representation of ratio. So there are various ways you can say/express it.




                It is same as to ask whether a bar chart or line graph is correct to
                summarize a data. While both of these are appropriate/correct for the
                task, it is completely an individual choice.




                "Obviously, something totally vague is not going to work"



                But anything that expresses correctly the proportion of how one is related to the other is CORRECT.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered Mar 27 at 10:47









                RC0993RC0993

                1526




                1526





















                    0














                    Many people say it differently, and I guess all are fine. For example:



                    • 51% to 49%

                    • 51% slash 49%

                    • 51% over 49%

                    • 51% or 49%

                    Mathematically speaking, over is correct.






                    share|improve this answer




















                    • 5





                      Perhaps over would work fine for a mathematical fraction, but, in the OP's context, I'm not sure I'd classify it as a fraction. When people say things like, "We have a 50/50 partnership," it seems more like a stock phrase than a mathematical expression.

                      – J.R.
                      Mar 27 at 21:45












                    • "To", "over" and "or" are not at all valid in the same contexts. They have different meanings! Even in mathematics, there is room for ambiguity: you have to agree with the author on which notation is in use, because it's not always the same. For example x is often used to represent a cross-product, rather than multiplication.

                      – jpaugh
                      2 days ago
















                    0














                    Many people say it differently, and I guess all are fine. For example:



                    • 51% to 49%

                    • 51% slash 49%

                    • 51% over 49%

                    • 51% or 49%

                    Mathematically speaking, over is correct.






                    share|improve this answer




















                    • 5





                      Perhaps over would work fine for a mathematical fraction, but, in the OP's context, I'm not sure I'd classify it as a fraction. When people say things like, "We have a 50/50 partnership," it seems more like a stock phrase than a mathematical expression.

                      – J.R.
                      Mar 27 at 21:45












                    • "To", "over" and "or" are not at all valid in the same contexts. They have different meanings! Even in mathematics, there is room for ambiguity: you have to agree with the author on which notation is in use, because it's not always the same. For example x is often used to represent a cross-product, rather than multiplication.

                      – jpaugh
                      2 days ago














                    0












                    0








                    0







                    Many people say it differently, and I guess all are fine. For example:



                    • 51% to 49%

                    • 51% slash 49%

                    • 51% over 49%

                    • 51% or 49%

                    Mathematically speaking, over is correct.






                    share|improve this answer















                    Many people say it differently, and I guess all are fine. For example:



                    • 51% to 49%

                    • 51% slash 49%

                    • 51% over 49%

                    • 51% or 49%

                    Mathematically speaking, over is correct.







                    share|improve this answer














                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer








                    edited Mar 27 at 11:29

























                    answered Mar 27 at 9:55









                    Bella SwanBella Swan

                    1,23212




                    1,23212







                    • 5





                      Perhaps over would work fine for a mathematical fraction, but, in the OP's context, I'm not sure I'd classify it as a fraction. When people say things like, "We have a 50/50 partnership," it seems more like a stock phrase than a mathematical expression.

                      – J.R.
                      Mar 27 at 21:45












                    • "To", "over" and "or" are not at all valid in the same contexts. They have different meanings! Even in mathematics, there is room for ambiguity: you have to agree with the author on which notation is in use, because it's not always the same. For example x is often used to represent a cross-product, rather than multiplication.

                      – jpaugh
                      2 days ago













                    • 5





                      Perhaps over would work fine for a mathematical fraction, but, in the OP's context, I'm not sure I'd classify it as a fraction. When people say things like, "We have a 50/50 partnership," it seems more like a stock phrase than a mathematical expression.

                      – J.R.
                      Mar 27 at 21:45












                    • "To", "over" and "or" are not at all valid in the same contexts. They have different meanings! Even in mathematics, there is room for ambiguity: you have to agree with the author on which notation is in use, because it's not always the same. For example x is often used to represent a cross-product, rather than multiplication.

                      – jpaugh
                      2 days ago








                    5




                    5





                    Perhaps over would work fine for a mathematical fraction, but, in the OP's context, I'm not sure I'd classify it as a fraction. When people say things like, "We have a 50/50 partnership," it seems more like a stock phrase than a mathematical expression.

                    – J.R.
                    Mar 27 at 21:45






                    Perhaps over would work fine for a mathematical fraction, but, in the OP's context, I'm not sure I'd classify it as a fraction. When people say things like, "We have a 50/50 partnership," it seems more like a stock phrase than a mathematical expression.

                    – J.R.
                    Mar 27 at 21:45














                    "To", "over" and "or" are not at all valid in the same contexts. They have different meanings! Even in mathematics, there is room for ambiguity: you have to agree with the author on which notation is in use, because it's not always the same. For example x is often used to represent a cross-product, rather than multiplication.

                    – jpaugh
                    2 days ago






                    "To", "over" and "or" are not at all valid in the same contexts. They have different meanings! Even in mathematics, there is room for ambiguity: you have to agree with the author on which notation is in use, because it's not always the same. For example x is often used to represent a cross-product, rather than multiplication.

                    – jpaugh
                    2 days ago












                    0














                    The most correct answer would probably be versus ( or vs for short) but this is a little clumsy in spoken language, so most commonly the slash would become completely silent.



                    In this context, to is wrong - it would mean that you were talking about a range FROM 51% to 49% when in fact the second number is redundant in this use.






                    share|improve this answer


















                    • 5





                      I disagree about "to" meaning a range. A sports call of "They won 51 to 49" doesn't mean "from" at all, it just implies the two different scores. Likewise you could have "X was the majority owner 51% to 49%"

                      – Dragonel
                      Mar 27 at 16:53















                    0














                    The most correct answer would probably be versus ( or vs for short) but this is a little clumsy in spoken language, so most commonly the slash would become completely silent.



                    In this context, to is wrong - it would mean that you were talking about a range FROM 51% to 49% when in fact the second number is redundant in this use.






                    share|improve this answer


















                    • 5





                      I disagree about "to" meaning a range. A sports call of "They won 51 to 49" doesn't mean "from" at all, it just implies the two different scores. Likewise you could have "X was the majority owner 51% to 49%"

                      – Dragonel
                      Mar 27 at 16:53













                    0












                    0








                    0







                    The most correct answer would probably be versus ( or vs for short) but this is a little clumsy in spoken language, so most commonly the slash would become completely silent.



                    In this context, to is wrong - it would mean that you were talking about a range FROM 51% to 49% when in fact the second number is redundant in this use.






                    share|improve this answer













                    The most correct answer would probably be versus ( or vs for short) but this is a little clumsy in spoken language, so most commonly the slash would become completely silent.



                    In this context, to is wrong - it would mean that you were talking about a range FROM 51% to 49% when in fact the second number is redundant in this use.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Mar 27 at 11:30









                    Mike BrockingtonMike Brockington

                    4895




                    4895







                    • 5





                      I disagree about "to" meaning a range. A sports call of "They won 51 to 49" doesn't mean "from" at all, it just implies the two different scores. Likewise you could have "X was the majority owner 51% to 49%"

                      – Dragonel
                      Mar 27 at 16:53












                    • 5





                      I disagree about "to" meaning a range. A sports call of "They won 51 to 49" doesn't mean "from" at all, it just implies the two different scores. Likewise you could have "X was the majority owner 51% to 49%"

                      – Dragonel
                      Mar 27 at 16:53







                    5




                    5





                    I disagree about "to" meaning a range. A sports call of "They won 51 to 49" doesn't mean "from" at all, it just implies the two different scores. Likewise you could have "X was the majority owner 51% to 49%"

                    – Dragonel
                    Mar 27 at 16:53





                    I disagree about "to" meaning a range. A sports call of "They won 51 to 49" doesn't mean "from" at all, it just implies the two different scores. Likewise you could have "X was the majority owner 51% to 49%"

                    – Dragonel
                    Mar 27 at 16:53

















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