"in absolute terms" meaning?

[theol]

The following appeared in a letter to the editor of Parson City’s local newspaper. “In our region of Trillura, the majority of money spent on the schools that most students attend – the city-run public schools – comes from taxes that each city government collects. The region’s cities differ, however, in the budgetary priority they give to public education. For example, both as a proportion of its overall tax revenues and in absolute terms, Parson City has recently spent almost twice as much per year as Blue City has for its public schools – even though both cities have about the same number of residents. Clearly, Parson City residents place a higher value on providing a good education in public schools than Blue City residents do.

I am not too sure what "in absolute terms" means in the passage above.

Please help.
Thanks.

 

[Skrej]

Absolute terms refers to the actual dollar amount spent. Proportional terms refers to the amount spent in relation to the overall tax revenues.

Parson City has spent twice as much in actual dollars, and twice as much proportionally of their tax revenues as Blue City, even though the two cities are approximately the same size. This of course also assumes that the cities have similar tax rates.

With the two cities being roughly equal, one can fairly make a comparison between the two in terms of actual dollars and proportional amounts spent on schools. The author's claim is that all things being equal, Parson City values education more than Blue City.

 

[theol]

Absolute terms refers to the actual dollar amount spent. Proportional terms refers to the amount spent in relation to the overall tax revenues.

Parson City has spent twice as much in actual dollars, and twice as much proportionally of their tax revenues as Blue City, even though the two cities are approximately the same size. This of course also assumes that the cities have similar tax rates.

With the two cities being roughly equal, one can fairly make a comparison between the two in terms of actual dollars and proportional amounts spent on schools. The author's claim is that all things being equal, Parson City values education more than Blue City.

So for the proportional terms,
can I make some assumptions below according to the passage?
Parson City has spent 60 percentage of their tax revenues.
Blue City has spent 30 percentage of their tax revenues.

 

[Skrej]

So for the proportional terms, can I make some assumptions below according to the passage?
Parson City has spent 60 [STRIKE]percentage[/STRIKE] percent of their tax revenues.
Blue City has spent 30 [STRIKE]percentage[/STRIKE] percent of their tax revenues.

Well, we can't assume what the actual numbers are, but yes, you've got the general idea.

Let's pretend each city collected ten million dollars in taxes.

If Parson City spent 20% (or two million dollars) on schools, then Blue City spent 10% (or one million dollars).

Of course if the original tax amounts are the same, then doubling the percentage will automatically double the actual dollar amount.

 

[theol]

Well, we can't assume what the actual numbers are, but yes, you've got the general idea.

Let's pretend each city collected ten million dollars in taxes.

If Parson City spent 20% (or two million dollars) on schools, then Blue City spend 10% (or one million dollars).

Of course if the original tax amounts are the same, then doubling the percentage will automatically double the actual dollar amount.

Actually, this is a writing prompt.

"The following appeared in a letter to the editor of Parson City's local newspaper.


"In our region of Trillura, the majority of money spent on the schools that most students attend — the city-run public schools — comes from taxes that each city government collects. The region's cities differ, however, in the budgetary priority they give to public education. For example, both as a proportion of its overall tax revenues and in absolute terms, Parson City has recently spent almost twice as much per year as Blue City has for its public schools — even though both cities have about the same number of residents. Clearly, Parson City residents place a higher value on providing a good education in public schools than Blue City residents do."


Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument."

I was wonder if I could make some assumptions below:
Blue City's tax revenues were 1 billion, then blue city spent 10 percent of its overall tax revenues(1 billion) on schools which is $100,000,000.
Parson City's tax revenues were 1 million, then parson city spent 20 percent of its overall tax revenues (1 million) on schools which is $200,000.

Can I make that assumption?

 

[emsr2d2]

Actually, this is a writing prompt.

Where did you find the prompt? If it's from a book of writing exercises, you must tell us the title and author. If you were given it by your English teacher/tutor, you must tell us that too.

 

[jutfrank]

What's the argument you have to evaluate?

From the information you've given us, we can't know exactly how much each city spent. All we know is that Parson City recently spent more, both proportionally and in absolute terms. So yes, your 10% versus 20% proportion could be right, but with the dollar figures, Parson City's amount must be larger than Blue City's amount. The text says it was larger in absolute terms.

Is this exam preparation or homework?

 

[Rover_KE]

Actually, this is a writing prompt.

"The following appeared in a letter to the editor of Parson City's local newspaper.

...

You should have given us this context in post #1 rather than #5.

 

[theol]

Where did you find the prompt? If it's from a book of writing exercises, you must tell us the title and author. If you were given it by your English teacher/tutor, you must tell us that too.

It is a GRE writing prompt.

https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/argument/pool

 

[theol]

What's the argument you have to evaluate?

From the information you've given us, we can't know exactly how much each city spent. All we know is that Parson City recently spent more, both proportionally and in absolute terms. So yes, your 10% versus 20% proportion could be right, but with the dollar figures, Parson City's amount must be larger than Blue City's amount. The text says it was larger in absolute terms.

Is this exam preparation or homework?

GRE preparation

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . I was wonder if I could make the assumptions below:
If Blue City's tax revenues were $1 billion, then Blue City spent 10 percent of its overall tax revenues [space] (1 billion) on schools [STRIKE]which is $100,000,000[/STRIKE].

[There's no reason to restate the number.]

Parson City's tax revenues were $1 million, then Parson City spent 20 percent of its overall tax revenues (1 million) on schools [STRIKE]which is $200,000[/STRIKE].

[Again, there's no reason to restate the number.]

Can I make that assumption?

No

1. It's highly unlikely that Parson City's tax revenues are a thousand times greater than Blue City's, which has about the same number of people.

2. Your $200,000 is not twice as much as $1 billion. It's 80% less.

Try again.

The size and tax base of the two cities are similar. Keep that in mind when you plug in numbers.

 

[Tarheel]

It would be really odd to spend only 60% of your tax revenues. It would be stranger still to spend only 30% of your tax revenues.

Also "I was wonder" is not an English phrase.

 

[theol]

Try again.

The size and tax base of the two cities are similar. Keep that in mind when you plug in numbers.

If Blue City's tax revenues came to a total of $1 billion dollars, then Blue City spent 10 percent of its overall tax revenues on schools.

If Parson City's tax revenues came to a total of $1 billion dollars, then Parson City spent 20 percent of its overall tax revenues on schools.

 

[GoesStation]

If Blue City's tax revenues came to a total of $1 billion [STRIKE]dollars[/STRIKE], then Blue City spent 10 percent of its overall tax revenues on schools.

If Parson City's tax revenues came to a total of [STRIKE]$[/STRIKE] (no dollar sign) 1 billion dollars, then Parson City spent 20 percent of its overall tax revenues on schools.

Use either the currency symbol or its name. Using both is redundant.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . "I was wonder" is not an English phrase.

Unless, of course, you're quoting Gal Gadot saying she was Wonder Woman.