4x200 read as four multiple two hundred?

[NewHopeR]

Context:

1.Allison Schmitt's anchor leg secures 4x200 free gold for USA (and second gold for Missy Franklin!).

 

[SoothingDave]

"Four by two hundred"

 

[abaka]

Or "four times two hundred", or even "four, two hundred". It's a little context sensitive. For example:

The 4x200m relay = the four by two hundred metre relay. (Or metres, less commonly.)

2x4 boards = two by four boards (a common size in North America, measured not in nches but in conventional units; the cross section is actually 38 mm by 89 mm).

4x9V batteries
Batteries: 4x9V = four nine-volt batteries, batteries: four nine-volt.

 

[Barb_D]

But in the context given, it is "four by two hundred."
Also, you'd say "free" very close to "hundred." That's the race - the four-person-each-swimming-200-m-freestyle-relay. Make sure you don't say "free gold" as though that were the phrase.

 

[abaka]

Yes. My point, however, is that the notation IS read differently depending on context.

 

[emsr2d2]

But in the context given, it is "four by two hundred."
Also, you'd say "free" very close to "hundred." That's the race - the four-person-each-swimming-200-m-freestyle-relay. Make sure you don't say "free gold" as though that were the phrase.

In the context given in BrE, it's also said "four by two hundred".

In the context of athletics events, many athletes, commentators and sports fans refer to the relay races as "the four by one", the "four by two" and the "four by four", for the "4 x 100m relay" the "4 x 200m relay" and the "4 x 400m relay". In this context, we use "by" not "times" in BrE.

If, however, I saw "4 x 200" written down with no context at all, I would say "four times two hundred".

 

[SoothingDave]

2x4 boards = two by four boards (a common size in North America, measured not in nches but in conventional units; the cross section is actually 38 mm by 89 mm).​

I'm not sure what you mean by "not in inches." A 2x4 is nominally 2 inches by 4 inches when cut. After drying and finishing, the dimensions are now 1.5 by 3.5 inches.

 

[abaka]

I'm not sure what you mean by "not in inches." A 2x4 is nominally 2 inches by 4 inches when cut. After drying and finishing, the dimensions are now 1.5 by 3.5 inches.

1.5x3.5 is not 2x4. QED.

 

[Barb_D]

And an 8 oz hamburger after cooking is probably about 5 oz. It was still half-pound burger when you started.

We have drifted away from the original question, which was about a relay race. We all agree, and the original poster now knows, it's called a "four by two hundred." We can consider the purpose of this thread completed.