Don't discount your fractions.

• Position: Shopping - Brief article

Quick, which is the better deal: a bag of potato chips at 33 percent off or one with 33 percent more chips? Most people choose the extra chips--but they're wrong. According to a study from the University of Minnesota, most consumers get confused-without realizing it--when it comes to figuring out sales because most of us are pretty bad at fractions and percents. We forget, for example, that 50 percent more fries is the same as a 33 percent discount. Double percentages--"take 40 percent off, plus an extra 20 percent off"--really throw us for a loop (hint: it's not 60 percent) *. Some experts recommend making unit...