Expression of percentage in English?

Question

I am quiet confused with the expressions of percentage in english, especially when it comes to decimal.

a) That explains why the nation's unemployment rate declined by two tenths of one percent even though there was hardly any job growth.

b) The officials reported last week that the economy grew at a rate of seven and six tenths percent from April to June.

My questions are:

1. What do two tenths of one percent and seven and six tenths percent mean respectively, please use numbers like 0.2% or 7.6%.

2. What is the difference between "two tenths of one percent" and "two tenths percent" if they are both correct.

3. Why don't we say zero point two percent or seven point six percent instead of making it complicated and difficult :( (This is how we express in Chinese actually)

Answer 1

I'd say that you have already understood it in questions 1 and 3 although in 2 "two tenths percent" unfamiliar to me as an expression. Reason such things put this way probably historical, since definitely not logical.

Answer 2

1. Your two numbers are correct: 0.2% or 7.6%.

2. They are the same.

3. It's complicated and difficult for you, because it's not how you do it. But it's easy for us, because we're used ot it.

Answer 3

It sounds casual, conversational, no remember if it is "what are the possibilities of" or "what are the opportunities of" and the different solutions gave some super examples of what to respond to if speaking professionally or formally, If the question is in a conversational or casual placing, the responses would desire to be: "the opportunities are extreme." "Odds are solid that..." (that's adverse grammatically even with the undeniable fact that it is what human beings say!) "possibilities of that occuring are exceedingly low." ("exceedingly" is conversational for extremely/rather/truly yet isn't solid grammatically)