be by a factor of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be by a factor of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in mathematical or scientific contexts to describe a multiplicative relationship or difference between two quantities. Example: "The new engine is more efficient, operating at a speed that is greater by a factor of three compared to the old model."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"My value is still so much higher than I ever expected it to be by a factor of about 50," Mr. Gates said.

The New York Times

For geographically distant samples, the necessary reduction may be by a factor of up to 500, as would be the case with Kuusamo and Southern Italy.

Plosone

It has to be taken into account that exposure levels obtained from the worst case scenario approach might be by a factor of 10-100 higher than the actual exposures [ 16, 19].

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It was by a factor of 5.3, not by 5.3percentt.

The New York Times - Health

And the tax breaks are, by a factor of 20, more important to American companies than beef and bananas.

The New York Times

Ngrams just shows that Hanson is published and referenced more often than you are by a factor of five.

University of California, Berkeley

"There's more production going on today in this country than there ever has been, by a factor of 10 or 20," he said.

The New York Times

The increase in the case of CdIn2O4 was by a factor of 2.1 ± 0.5 and in the case of Sb doped SnO2 was by a factor of 1.6 ± 0.1.

Electrochimica Acta

At a constant CNR, corresponding reductions in ED were by a factor of 2.5, 5.5, and 12.7, respectively (P <.001).

Duke University

The enhancement of the sensing efficiency (a spectral shift) is by a factor of 3.88 by using labelled gold nanoparticles.

Nano Convergence

The rate of convergence is by a factor of (2^{s}), (1 le s le p+1), where p is the Daubechies wavelet order.

Advances in Difference Equations

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "be by a factor of", ensure the context clearly indicates the two quantities being compared and the direction of the relationship (increase or decrease). For example, "The new method reduced errors by a factor of two."

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by explicitly stating whether the factor represents an increase or decrease. For instance, instead of saying "The results differed by a factor of ten", specify "The results were ten times greater" or "The results were ten times smaller".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be by a factor of" functions as a prepositional phrase used to express a quantitative relationship, specifically indicating that one quantity is a multiple of another. Ludwig examples show it is used to compare values in contexts such as describing efficiency increases or error reductions.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

Academia

22%

News & Media

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be by a factor of" is a prepositional phrase used to express a multiplicative relationship between two quantities. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's considered grammatically correct and appears primarily in scientific, academic, and news contexts to quantify differences or changes. While not extremely common, it's essential for precise comparisons, particularly when discussing increases or decreases. When using the phrase, ensure clarity by explicitly stating the direction of the relationship and avoid ambiguity. Consider using alternatives like "increased by a multiple of" or "greater by a proportion of" to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

increased by a multiple of

Emphasizes multiplication, highlighting the scaling effect. Less common in everyday speech compared to the query.

multiplied by a factor of

Directly indicates multiplication, often used in mathematical or scientific contexts. Implies a clear multiplication operation.

greater by a proportion of

Highlights the proportional relationship between quantities, suitable for comparative descriptions. More formal than the query.

scaled by a coefficient of

Suggests a formal scaling process, common in scientific or engineering fields. Implies a precise numerical adjustment.

increased proportionally by

Indicates a direct relationship where one quantity changes in response to another. More formal and descriptive.

enhanced by a magnitude of

Implies a significant increase in size or effect, used to emphasize the extent of change. More emphatic than the query.

changed by a ratio of

Focuses on the ratio between initial and final values, common in technical reports. Suggests a precise comparison.

grew by a power of

Indicates exponential growth or increase, emphasizing rapid change. Conveys a sense of substantial scaling.

reduced by a fraction of

Specifies a decrease or reduction, highlighting the fractional portion. Used to describe partial losses.

diminished by an order of

Indicates a substantial reduction in size or impact, often used in scientific contexts. Suggests a significant decrease.

FAQs

How can I use "be by a factor of" in a sentence?

Use "be by a factor of" to indicate a multiplicative relationship between two quantities. For example, "The new engine is more efficient, operating at a speed that is greater "by a factor of" three compared to the old model."

What are some alternatives to "be by a factor of"?

You can use alternatives such as "increased by a multiple of", "multiplied by a factor of", or "greater "by a proportion of" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "increased by a factor of" or "increased by a percentage of"?

The choice depends on the context. "Increased by a factor of" implies multiplication (e.g., doubled is a factor of two), while "increased by a percentage of" indicates an additive increase relative to the original value (e.g., increased "by 50 percent").

What does it mean when something is "different by a factor of"?

It means one quantity is a multiple of the other. For instance, if two values are different "by a factor of" 5, one value is five times larger or smaller than the other.