Why percent or percentage is uncountable?

Question

If I say "as many as 15%" whats wrong with it...

daagh · Answer

So you mean 'as much as' 15% or 'as more as' 15%? How can you use more with as? Are you meaning 'as many as'?

saaror · Answer

Yes, edited the question, I meant "as many as", why cant I use that....

ccooley · Answer

It actually depends on what you're taking a percent of.

As much as 15% of the water was spilled.

As many as 15% of the cookies were burnt.

15% of a glass of water is a 'mass' of water - water is (basically) always uncountable. You wouldn't say 'one water', 'two waters', etc. - unless you're a waiter taking orders! But 15% of a platter of cookies is a 'number' of cookies. Cookies are countable.

That said, this smacks of the kind of distinction that the GMAT rarely tests. When it tests something like this, there's almost always another, easier, more grammatical rule being tested in the same answer choice.

gentvenus · Answer

Whether or not it is countable depends on the subject in question, and not the use of percentage.

Why percent or percentage is uncountable?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards