While thinking where the term might have come from, i thought of folds in a peice of paper, for every time you fold a piece of paper in half you get two bits of paper, so every fold doubles the number. So say 100 increased ten fold would be 100 x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2= 100x2^10 = 100x1024 = 102 400. My dad thinks it comes from folds of bills of money, and therefore is just a straight multiplication, ie 100 increased 10 fold would be 1000. Anyone have any evidence of the true meaning and origin of the phrase?
2006-12-03 16:48:23 · 4 answers · asked by Chops II 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
While thinking where the term might have come from, i thought of folds in a peice of paper, for every time you fold a piece of paper in half you get two bits of paper, so every fold doubles the number. So say 100 increased ten fold would be 100 x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2= 100x2^10 = 100x1024 = 102 400. My dad thinks it comes from folds of bills of money, and therefore is just a straight multiplication, ie 100 increased 10 fold would be 1000. Anyone have any evidence of the true meaning and origin of the phrase?
In answering, please indicate what makes you believe what you believe. Just anonymously telling me one or the other does not convince me either way, as for all I know, you might have just assumed one and have been touting it to be correct... I hope you understand the point I'm trying to make rather than count it as abuse...
2006-12-03 16:59:58 · update #1
Just means times as in multiplication. Where and why it's
said is a mystery to me.
2006-12-03 16:54:23 · answer #1 · answered by albert 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"-fold
suffix.
1. Divided into a specified number of parts: fivefold.
2. Multiplied by a specified number: fiftyfold."
This suffix was liberally used in Elizabethan English. The derivation appears to be from the Middle English "fald"
2006-12-04 01:24:06 · answer #2 · answered by Helmut 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Quoting from dictionary.com..
-fold
a native English suffix meaning “of so many parts,” or denoting multiplication by the number indicated by the stem or word to which the suffix is attached: twofold; manifold.
[Origin: ME; OE -fald, -feald, c. OFris, OS -fald, G -falt, ON -faldr, Goth -falths, all repr. the Gmc base of fold1; akin to Gk -ploos, -plous (see haplo-, diplo-), L -plus (see simple, double, etc.), -plex -plex]
2006-12-04 00:59:43 · answer #3 · answered by stephen m 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do not know the origin, but it simply means "times".
2006-12-04 00:53:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋