It’s mathematically correct, but I think the more commonly used US phrasing would be, ”...make up 75%....”.

If all prepositional uses were subtracted, the statement would be ¾=75%.

There’s an American idiom known as “making out”, which might give some the impression that 3 out of 4 people are passionately kissing 75% of the population.

Ah, of course…
In this sentence it seems as though I forgot to add “with”, behind “make out” :-)
No, I mistakenly wrote “make out”.
I read it minutes before, and didn’t bother to reread it when I posted the question.
“Make up”!

And just my luck, I keep getting stuck with the fourth!

@janbb

Hopefully the fourth won’t be the returning insult troll.

I’m not sure what’s being asked.

3 out of 4 would make up 75% of the population as long as you know for sure they are talking about all people in all parts of the sentence.

For instance, with the COVID vaccination rate you need to know if they are quoting eligible population or total population.

Another trick is if it says 3 out of 4 dentists asked say Crest toothpaste is best. That’s only those asked not the total population of dentists.

Or, 3 out of 4 dentists say Crest toothpaste fights cavaties. That sentence doesn’t exclude other toothpastes as fighting cavaties just as well.

@JLeslie ”I mistakenly wrote “make out”.”
“I read it minutes before, and didn’t bother to reread it when I posted the question.”
”“Make up!””

The question is: Is the following statement true: “3 out of 4 people make out 75% of the population.”?

@rebbel You’re still making out!

There’s a 50/50 chance you could be right.

Even with “make up”, it’s a weird way to phrase what the question seems to be asking, which seems to be a mathematically trivial question. Are you really asking what the phrase “3 out of 4” means?

x x x o y x x x

3 out of 4 (otherwise expressable as 75%) of the above characters are x’s.

Does that answer your question?

(And yes, x is also a symbol for kissing, so 75% of the above line of characters might be making out.)

@janbb

Uh oh- I flagged the fourth guy as a returning troll, so kiss that “opportunity” good riddance. :/

@janbb

”@rebbel You’re still making out!”

…with 75% of the Dutch population! :p