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8.3
Put Values in Perspective
In a presentation, let’s say you mention that Business R&D expenditures in Canada
amount to as much as 16.9 billion dollars. Wow, that seems large! But compared to
what? Beyond some level, numbers become meaningless. When dealing with such
large numbers, and even when using smaller ones, use percentages, side by side
comparisons, etc. All the values you insert should be put in perspective. Don’t leave
numbers on their own!
Don’t just let the audience “feel” a number is large. Prove it, by putting it in
perspective! By the way, such “mistakes” are also found regularly in prestigious
publications.
This is equivalent to the “rule” of including a coin or a ruler in a photograph, for
the audience to appreciate the relative size of the image you want to show.
8 Maths