The margin of subtracting 2 from 5 is 3

[fenglish]

Hi,

The result of subtracting 2 from 5 is 3, can I say "The margin of subtracting 2 from 5 is 3"?

Thanks.

 

[fenglish]

No, you can't.

Note that you have a comma splice in your question. The comma needs to be at least a semi-colon.

Thanks.

If I don't want to use the word "result" to express the result of subtracting one number from another, what other words can be used to express the same meaning?

For stock ABC:
The current share price is $20, and the last share price is $30. In this case, I can use "Price Change" to express the result: Price Change = Current Share Price - Last Share Price

But I want to use a common name to express the result of subtracting X from Y where X and Y can be anything. In other words, the common name should be suitable for any case.

[Common Name] = Y - X
[Common Name] = 5 - 2
[Common Name] = Current Share Price - Last Share Price

I wan to express the difference between two items, and this difference is based on the subtraction.

Please help, thanks.

 

[fenglish]

Here is some terminology. Most native speakers won't know what you are talking about if you use it.

Can you explain more about why you don't know what I am talking about? I want to know what's wrong in my expression.
Thanks.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think the following definition is not commonly used in calculation.

'Margin
5. an amount or degree of difference' ── quoted from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/margin

 

[Tony Phillips]

Use the word 'Total' for the common name.

(not a teacher)

 

[Tdol]

If I don't want to use the word "result" to express the result of subtracting one number from another, what other words can be used to express the same meaning?

2 from 5 makes 3.

 

[emsr2d2]

5 minus 2 is 3.
5 take away 2 is 3.

(That's how I would say it in BrE).

 

[Raymott]

The "last share price" is the "current share price". The "last share price" remains the same until a new transaction is made. The value of that transaction then becomes the "last share price." In fact there is no current share price; there are only offers (to sell) and bids (to buy). That is why the "last share price" is used as an indicator of what the stock is worth. If someone mentions the "current share price", they are most likely referring to the last share price.

http://markets.theaustralian.com.au/shares/CBA/commonwealth-bank-of-australia
Eg., on this page in the top left, the big number is the "last share price" for Commonwealth Bank, also the "closing share price" for Friday.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Can you explain more about why you don't know what I am talking about?

He did not say 'I don't know', he just said 'Most native speakers won't know'.

(I hope it is an acceptable comma splice.)

 

[fenglish]

The "last share price" is the "current share price". The "last share price" remains the same until a new transaction is made. The value of that transaction then becomes the "last share price." In fact there is no current share price; there are only offers (to sell) and bids (to buy). That is why the "last share price" is used as an indicator of what the stock is worth. If someone mentions the "current share price", they are most likely referring to the last share price.

http://markets.theaustralian.com.au/shares/CBA/commonwealth-bank-of-australia
Eg., on this page in the top left, the big number is the "last share price" for Commonwealth Bank, also the "closing share price" for Friday.

Hi Raymott, thanks so much.

Based on your answer, I have updated the "last share price" to "previous share price" in my system.

But I still have question about why I "must" change it to "previous share price". From the following dictionary explanation, you can see the "last" can be explained as "Just past; most recent", and I think the meaning of the "last" in both "last year" and "last share price" is the same.

See http://www.thefreedictionary.com/last
3. Just past; most recent: last year; the last time I checked.

Please help to explain, thanks.

 

[Raymott]

But I still have question about why I "must" change it to "previous share price".

Who told you that you must change it to "previous share price"?
There is no such thing as a current share price. Let's say that a lot of shares just sold for $20. If sellers are asking for $21 at the moment, and buyers are only willing to pay $19, then no transaction will take place until something changes. You could quote those prices (the offer/ask price of the seller, and the bid/buy price of the buyer), but the convention is to quote the price at which the last transaction took place.

PS: You probably need to ask your question on an accounting or share market forum. The could explain it better.

 

[fenglish]

Who told you that you must change it to "previous share price"?
There is no such thing as a current share price. Let's say that a lot of shares just sold for $20. If sellers are asking for $21 at the moment, and buyers are only willing to pay $19, then no transaction will take place until something changes. You could quote those prices (the offer/ask price of the seller, and the bid/buy price of the buyer), but the convention is to quote the price at which the last transaction took place.

PS: You probably need to ask your question on an accounting or share market forum. The could explain it better.

I changed it myself.

You said there is no such thing as a current share price, does it mean we can't say and use "current share price"?
But I googled and found this link used the phrase "current share price": http://cse.com.bd/current_share_price_tc.php.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Having read the above post, I think the OP has paid no attention to the following:

Note that you have a comma splice in your question. The comma needs to be at least a semi-colon.

 

[fenglish]

Having read the above post, I think the OP has paid no attention to the following:

Thanks. I did notice the "comma splice" but have not checked the exact meaning before.

Why should I change it to semi-colon?

The result of subtracting 2 from 5 is 3; can I say "The margin of subtracting 2 from 5 is 3"?

I just checked the "comma splice" from the following wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma_splice

As you can see, the wiki also used the comma to join the two sentences.

It is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.

What's the difference between the wiki and my sentence?

Please help to explain, thanks.

 

[fenglish]

I found the following explanation from The Elements of Style:

5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
If two or more clauses, grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction, are to form a single compound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon.

Stevenson's romances are entertaining; they are full of exciting adventures.
It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.

It is of course equally correct to write the above as two sentences each, replacing the semicolons by periods.

Stevenson's romances are entertaining. They are full of exciting adventures.
It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.

It is a rule. So, I need to update the above question as follow (corrected the comma splice):

I changed it myself.

You said there is no such thing as a current share price; does it mean we can't say and use "current share price"?
But I googled and found this link used the phrase "current share price": http://cse.com.bd/current_share_price_tc.php.

Please help to explain again. thanks.

 

[Matthew Wai]

As you can see, the wiki also used the comma to join the two sentences.

The comma is intended to show the error rather than the correct usage.

 

[fenglish]

The comma is intended to show the error rather than the correct usage.

I known it is an example, and the following post has already answered my own question about the "comma splice".

Can you help to explain the other question as mentioned in the above post?

Question 2: Should I use "the following post" or "the followed post" in the above sentence? It sounds not natural.

 

[Matthew Wai]

But I googled and found this link used the phrase "current share price": http://cse.com.bd/current_share_price_tc.php.

According to your link, I take it to mean 'the share price at the present time', but I actually know nothing about such transactions.

Question 2: Should I use "the following post" or "the followed post" in the above sentence?

I would write 'the post below it' in your context.

It sounds not natural.

It sounds unnatural.

 

[Raymott]

I changed it myself.

You said there is no such thing as a current share price, does it mean we can't say and use "current share price"?
But I googled and found this link used the phrase "current share price": http://cse.com.bd/current_share_price_tc.php.

Perhaps they use the term there. We don't use it in Aus. That's why I suggested a shares forum. If "current share price" is used in the stock market you are referring to, then it might be appropriate.

PS: The "current share price" is almost always the Closing Price (the last price) - since the Chittagong market is closed now. I'm pretty sure LTP in the first column mean "last traded price."
A few are slightly different and may refer to off-market sales, or post-close sales - neither of which I profess to understand.