求cost单复数解析

loveathgs

BY的题
even though the direct costs of malpractice disputes amounts to a sum lower than one percent of the $541 billion the nation spent on health care last year, docrors  say fear of lawsuits plays a major role in health-care inflation.

amounts to a sum lower
amounts to less
amounted to less
amounted to lower
amounted to a lower sum

Q 此处costs可数否？  可数的话怎么能用 less呢？

红尘道士

这里的less和cost没有关系，less than是和more than一样的词组

shijiaxin13

However,less  is idiomatic in certain constructions wherefewer  would occur according to the traditional rule.  Less than  is used before a plural noun that denotes a measure of time, amount, or distance:
然而less 在一定的句法结构中具有成语性质， 而其中fewer 以传统的规则出现。  Less than  用在表示一定时间、数量或距离尺度的复数名词前：
less than 50 miles.Less  
少于50英里。Less

小小圆子

Do you say lower than 1 percent ?
less than one percent is the right usage .

这里的数量看成一个整体，是单数