Coupland's schtick was social – look at how little we've really got; Danielewski's scope was existential – look how much we can find in nothing.
Invariably a reference to something mundane like addition or multiplication, the phrase reinforces how little awareness there is about the breadth and scope of the subject, how so many people identify mathematics with just one element: arithmetic.
"We were shocked at the scope of its responsibilities, we were shocked at how little its resources have increased, and we were surprised at the conditions those in the F.D.A. had to work under".
Because ministers need to ensure that this money is well spent, they will always interfere with how services are run, and this means that within the narrow ambit of individual operators there is little scope for making efficiencies.
Fiscal policy offers little scope either.
But there is little scope for growth.
"The debt dynamics show little scope for deviation," it said.
There is little scope left for greater restrictions.
