[veqq]

In English, x or time(s) after a number marks a "unit" used by various verbs. A 10x increase. Increase by 10x. Go up 10x. Some of these verbs are negative like decrease or save. "Save 10x" is the same as "divide by 10". Four times less, 5 times smaller etc. are long attested.

[adammarples]

No, x literally means multiply. It doesn't somehow also mean divide. They should use the percent sign, it's what it is for. 10x my costs means 10 x mycost, it's literally an equation

[veqq]

It's just inversion, like 2 to the power of 2 or 2 to the power of negative 2. These negative words inverse it just the same. You may dislike it, but millions of people have spoken this way for a long time.

> x literally means multiply

And some use the dot operator or even 2(3) or (2)(3). When programming, we tend to use *.

[adammarples]

Nobody says times to mean divide. The word "negative" is what is doing the inversion for you in your example.

[jaredhallen]

Agree to disagree.

[ffsm8]

It's basically multiplication with fractions, just like you get 1/4 from 1/2 * 1/2, which is once again a multiplication that turns into division

I agree that it's a suboptimal and click baity way to phrase it though...

[imp0cat]

Exactly, it's multiplication.

Example: He was saving $10 every month before the change. Then he switched and now he is saving 10 x $10, ie $100 every month.

But that's not the case here, right? And that's why the parent post is correct.

[happymellon]

Thats not how English works.

Saved 10x would imply there was an amount being saved that they multipled.