How do I set a 40% grayscale background?

[Guest]

Recently, I took the PowerPoint 2003 cert test, and one of the questions
required me to set a 40% grayscale background. Fortunately, I passed the
test, but try as I might, I can't find out how to do this. Help, anyone!

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Recently, I took the PowerPoint 2003 cert test, and one of the questions
required me to set a 40% grayscale background. Fortunately, I passed the
test, but try as I might, I can't find out how to do this. Help, anyone!

It's either kind of a trick question or a Mac question that sneaked by into the
PC exam. In Mac PPT you can choose the "Grayscale slider" option in PPT's
color picker and dial in any grayscale value you like.

There's nothing similar in the PC version.

Maybe they expected you to fake it? That is, gray values in RGB are equal
values of each of the R, G, B components; each value can be anything from 0 to
255, so a 1% increment = 255/100 or 2.55

40% gray would then be 40 x 2.55 or 102

And that's exactly what you get when you dial 40% into the Mac's grayscale
slider.

If they ask about Pantone or CMYK colors, hiss and spit at them.

 

[Guest]

Excellent, Steve! Many thanks!
My instincts were telling such, but wanted to be sure. Also, thanks for the
RGB breakdown. That will be helpful for me in the future.
Tim Garrett