{"pre_text": ["18 .", "allowance for credit losses ."], "post_text": ["( 1 ) reclassified to conform to the current period 2019s presentation .", "( 2 ) 2009 primarily includes reductions to the loan loss reserve of approximately $ 543 million related to securitizations , approximately $ 402 million related to the sale or transfers to held-for-sale of u.s .", "real estate lending loans , and $ 562 million related to the transfer of the u.k .", "cards portfolio to held-for-sale .", "2008 primarily includes reductions to the loan loss reserve of approximately $ 800 million related to fx translation , $ 102 million related to securitizations , $ 244 million for the sale of the german retail banking operation , $ 156 million for the sale of citicapital , partially offset by additions of $ 106 million related to the cuscatl e1n and bank of overseas chinese acquisitions .", "2007 primarily includes reductions to the loan loss reserve of $ 475 million related to securitizations and transfers to loans held-for-sale , and reductions of $ 83 million related to the transfer of the u.k .", "citifinancial portfolio to held-for-sale , offset by additions of $ 610 million related to the acquisitions of egg , nikko cordial , grupo cuscatl e1n and grupo financiero uno .", "( 3 ) represents additional credit loss reserves for unfunded corporate lending commitments and letters of credit recorded in other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. ."], "table": [["in millions of dollars", "2009", "2008 ( 1 )", "2007 ( 1 )"], ["allowance for loan losses at beginning of year", "$ 29616", "$ 16117", "$ 8940"], ["gross credit losses", "-32784 ( 32784 )", "-20760 ( 20760 )", "-11864 ( 11864 )"], ["gross recoveries", "2043", "1749", "1938"], ["net credit ( losses ) recoveries ( ncls )", "$ -30741 ( 30741 )", "$ -19011 ( 19011 )", "$ -9926 ( 9926 )"], ["ncls", "$ 30741", "$ 19011", "$ 9926"], ["net reserve builds ( releases )", "5741", "11297", "6550"], ["net specific reserve builds ( releases )", "2278", "3366", "356"], ["total provision for credit losses", "$ 38760", "$ 33674", "$ 16832"], ["other net ( 2 )", "-1602 ( 1602 )", "-1164 ( 1164 )", "271"], ["allowance for loan losses at end of year", "$ 36033", "$ 29616", "$ 16117"], ["allowance for credit losses on unfunded lending commitments at beginning of year ( 3 )", "$ 887", "$ 1250", "$ 1100"], ["provision for unfunded lending commitments", "244", "-363 ( 363 )", "150"], ["allowance for credit losses on unfunded lending commitments at end of year ( 3 )", "$ 1157", "$ 887", "$ 1250"], ["total allowance for loans leases and unfunded lending commitments", "$ 37190", "$ 30503", "$ 17367"]], "table_ori": [["In millions of dollars", "2009", "2008(1)", "2007(1)"], ["Allowance for loan losses at beginning of year", "$29,616", "$16,117", "$8,940"], ["Gross credit losses", "(32,784)", "(20,760)", "(11,864)"], ["Gross recoveries", "2,043", "1,749", "1,938"], ["Net credit (losses) recoveries (NCLs)", "$(30,741)", "$(19,011)", "$(9,926)"], ["NCLs", "$30,741", "$19,011", "$9,926"], ["Net reserve builds (releases)", "5,741", "11,297", "6,550"], ["Net specific reserve builds (releases)", "2,278", "3,366", "356"], ["Total provision for credit losses", "$38,760", "$33,674", "$16,832"], ["Other, net(2)", "(1,602)", "(1,164)", "271"], ["Allowance for loan losses at end of year", "$36,033", "$29,616", "$16,117"], ["Allowance for credit losses on unfunded lending commitments at beginning of year(3)", "$887", "$1,250", "$1,100"], ["Provision for unfunded lending commitments", "244", "(363)", "150"], ["Allowance for credit losses on unfunded lending commitments at end of year(3)", "$1,157", "$887", "$1,250"], ["Total allowance for loans, leases, and unfunded lending commitments", "$37,190", "$30,503", "$17,367"]]}

Question: what was the percentage change in the allowance for loan losses from 2008 to 2009?
Evidence:
table_1: in millions of dollars the allowance for loan losses at beginning of year of 2009 is $ 29616 ; the allowance for loan losses at beginning of year of 2008 ( 1 ) is $ 16117 ; the allowance for loan losses at beginning of year of 2007 ( 1 ) is $ 8940 ;
Program: subtract(29616, 16117), divide(#0, 16117)
Answer:
str_answer: 84%
exe_answer: 0.83756