what was the percentage change in the allowance for loan losses from 2008 to 2009?
Important information:
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 ;
table_10: in millions of dollars the allowance for loan losses at end of year of 2009 is $ 36033 ; the allowance for loan losses at end of year of 2008 ( 1 ) is $ 29616 ; the allowance for loan losses at end of year of 2007 ( 1 ) is $ 16117 ;
table_14: in millions of dollars the total allowance for loans leases and unfunded lending commitments of 2009 is $ 37190 ; the total allowance for loans leases and unfunded lending commitments of 2008 ( 1 ) is $ 30503 ; the total allowance for loans leases and unfunded lending commitments of 2007 ( 1 ) is $ 17367 ;
Reasoning Steps:
Step: minus1-1(29616, 16117) = 13499
Step: divide1-2(#0, 16117) = 84%
Program:
subtract(29616, 16117), divide(#0, 16117)
Program (Nested):
divide(subtract(29616, 16117), 16117)

Please answer the following financial question based on the context provided. Make sure to give the answer in raw number, not in percentage and without any units. If the question asks for percentage the value should be less than 1
Context:
18 . allowance for credit losses .
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         
( 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. .
Question: 
what was the percentage change in the allowance for loan losses from 2008 to 2009?
Important information:
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 ;
table_10: in millions of dollars the allowance for loan losses at end of year of 2009 is $ 36033 ; the allowance for loan losses at end of year of 2008 ( 1 ) is $ 29616 ; the allowance for loan losses at end of year of 2007 ( 1 ) is $ 16117 ;
table_14: in millions of dollars the total allowance for loans leases and unfunded lending commitments of 2009 is $ 37190 ; the total allowance for loans leases and unfunded lending commitments of 2008 ( 1 ) is $ 30503 ; the total allowance for loans leases and unfunded lending commitments of 2007 ( 1 ) is $ 17367 ;
Reasoning Steps:
Step: minus1-1(29616, 16117) = 13499
Step: divide1-2(#0, 16117) = 84%
Program:
subtract(29616, 16117), divide(#0, 16117)
Program (Nested):
divide(subtract(29616, 16117), 16117)
