We are doomed if this is the kind of math we don't know.

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm at Starbucks in Ohio and I overhear a lady tutoring a 13-15 year old girl.

I hear her say, "no, 806 is not halfway between 800 and 900. Count to 900 for me, starting from 800."

><

*silence*

Unfortunately, I actually *do* remember this level of confusion from my peers back when I was growing up in this area....

 

[OCGuy]

I'm at Starbucks in Ohio and I overhear a lady tutoring a 13-15 year old girl.

I hear her say, "no, 806 is not halfway between 800 and 900. Count to 900 for me, starting from 800."

><

*silence*

Unfortunately, I actually *do* remember this level of confusion from my peers back when I was growing up in this area....

What makes you assume she didn't have a learning disability? Starbucks patronage already increases that likelihood.

 

[TecHNooB]

this thread comes up every once in a while. the average person is not as bad at math as the internet wants to believe.

 

[Krazy4Real]

I'm at Starbucks in Ohio and I overhear a lady tutoring a 13-15 year old girl.

I hear her say, "no, 806 is not halfway between 800 and 900. Count to 900 for me, starting from 800."

><

*silence*

Unfortunately, I actually *do* remember this level of confusion from my peers back when I was growing up in this area....

Not everyone is asian.

 

[JamesV]

this thread comes up every once in a while. the average person is not as bad at math as the internet wants to believe.

I think they are probably worse.

We all get the cashiers that look dumbfounded when you give them odd amounts of money, like $10.50 for a $7.15 bill.

Last week the register at Trader Joes wasn't automatically taking 10% my wine cases, so it took four employees trying to figure out what the amount would be (and I ended up showing them how to figure it out). They were all 'okay, so take off ten cents per dollar, and add that up...'.

Division is surprisingly tough for many people also; my friend couldn't figure out how to divide the gas cost for our camping trip... he said "when the hell do I ever have to divide something?".

 

[yhelothar]

Some people seem to have really bad numerical sense even if they have all the concepts broken down to them very simply.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ofQ_WnQiZ4

 

[pontifex]

i suck at math. i failed pre-algebra and algebra 1.

I'm even terrible at subtraction and division. put me under pressure and i get even worse.

 

[blackdogdeek]

The biggest fail is that this person was a tutor.

 

[OverVolt]

I think they are probably worse.

We all get the cashiers that look dumbfounded when you give them odd amounts of money, like $10.50 for a $7.15 bill.

Last week the register at Trader Joes wasn't automatically taking 10% my wine cases, so it took four employees trying to figure out what the amount would be (and I ended up showing them how to figure it out). They were all 'okay, so take off ten cents per dollar, and add that up...'.

Division is surprisingly tough for many people also; my friend couldn't figure out how to divide the gas cost for our camping trip... he said "when the hell do I ever have to divide something?".

Most of us probably took a good bit of math in college (computers, science etc.) but some people knew to steer clear from the very beginning. I know a lawyer who doesn't know what is an electron or any math past algebra, which they probably forgot. Good lawyer though. Truth is 80%+ don't really need that much math.

 

[marvdmartian]

We all get the cashiers that look dumbfounded when you give them odd amounts of money, like $10.50 for a $7.15 bill.

Wanna really screw with 'em? When you see the amount comes out to, say, $4.55, hand them a $5 bill. Let them punch that amount into the cash register, which will tell them they need to give you $0.45 change.

Now, before they start counting out the change, hand them $0.55, and watch the show begin! I cannot count the number of times I have seen pure confusion on the face of a cashier, because they can't figure out that they now owe you $1!!

It's really sad.....and I'm a dick for doing it......but I can't help myself!! :whiste:

 

[Ruptga]

Most of us probably took a good bit of math in college (computers, science etc.) but some people knew to steer clear from the very beginning. I know a lawyer who doesn't know what is an electron or any math past algebra, which they probably forgot. Good lawyer though. Truth is 80%+ don't really need that much math.

I hear what you are saying, but a solid grasp of arithmetic and a tiny bit of algebra is very helpful no matter who you are.

 

[feralkid]

Wanna really screw with 'em? When you see the amount comes out to, say, $4.55, hand them a $5 bill. Let them punch that amount into the cash register, which will tell them they need to give you $0.45 change.

Now, before they start counting out the change, hand them $0.55, and watch the show begin! I cannot count the number of times I have seen pure confusion on the face of a cashier, because they can't figure out that they now owe you $1!!

It's really sad.....and I'm a dick for doing it......but I can't help myself!! :whiste:

Pretty funny; which is more pathetic, their math skills or your social skills?

 

[OverVolt]

Pretty funny; which is more pathetic, their math skills or your social skills?

It tends to work like that doesn't it

 

[Red Squirrel]

i suck at math. i failed pre-algebra and algebra 1.

I'm even terrible at subtraction and division. put me under pressure and i get even worse.

I'm the same way, I especially suck at doing math in my head. I failed grade 11 math, had to take summer school. Grade 12 was algebra over video conference, we were like 3 in our class (physically). I was part of the "genius" group so I was in a high level class. Does not mean I knew what I was doing. :awe: I somehow managed to pass that class.

College had math 1 2 and 3, 1 and 2 needed a 60% to pass which made it that much harder. I JUST made it, both times. The last math, I also JUST made it, despite it needing the standard of 50%. I can understand the concepts to some extent but then throw a curve ball and everything I know is down the toilet.

On the other hand when it came to programming I was twirling my thumbs because the class was so slow. I actually got docked points off tests for using concepts that were too advanced, like 3D arrays. That's 2nd year university shit, can't use that here!

 

[Strk]

How about doing the math on how much money one wastes on a bad cup of coffee from Starbucks versus just brewing your own?

 

[HeXen]

this thread comes up every once in a while. the average person is not as bad at math as the internet wants to believe.

I am. They let me graduate HS with out taking math past 8th grade. So 23 years of not doing much math outside of the basic, simple stuff makes you forget a lot. I suck bad at math without a calc.

 

[Slammy1]

On an unrelated note, drug use in the US is increasing.

I used to have this guy who would never punch in the numbers, and I'm the sort that will pay $5.12 on a $4.37 bill. Sometime he'd give me back more than I gave him, I always gave him the money back.

I remember people trying to confuse me on purpose with change, sometimes I would do it back to them (I was working on a math undergrad when I was a cashier so...). I'd always give them the correct change back and explain why stupid people shouldn't play that game. But it's funny, hey, give me that back I give you this and suddenly I have a few dollars extra. Then, when they turn to go I explain what I did and why I did it along with a warning about doing it to others (they'd likely beat you up, you're obviously not smart enough to play that game...).

 

[Paul98]

Seems to me this is because of the lack of the very basics such as not knowing what 6*6 equals, not knowing easy ways to break up a question, and understanding how to relate numbers and mathematics to reality.

 

[feralkid]

How about doing the math on how much money one wastes on a bad cup of coffee from Starbucks versus just brewing your own?

Damn straight; I carry a coffeemaker, some beans and a burr grinder in my briefcase in case I want that second cup after I leave the house. Much cheaper than Starbucks.

 

[Icecold]

Unfortunately, I actually *do* remember this level of confusion from my peers back when I was growing up in this area....

Any studies showing Ohio mathematics test scores are worse than any other states? In my daily interactions I find that most people lack basic math skills, but haven't noticed it being any worse in Ohio than other areas.

Also, most people from Ohio don't have to ask a web forum how to find places to advertise a business or how to pick out a water softener

 

[Paul98]

The problem is that in our modern culture we have so much done for us with a calculator, or on the internet, same with memory, or figuring out how to do many things. So many just look it up or type it in, we don't use our skill, thinking, or memory. Thus like anything we get worse at it from the lack of use.

 

[jagec]

We are doomed if this is the kind of math we don't know.

FV = PV*(1+i)^n ?

 

[feralkid]

The problem is that in our modern culture we have so much done for us with a calculator, or on the internet, same with memory, or figuring out how to do many things. So many just look it up or type it in, we don't use our skill, thinking, or memory. Thus like anything we get worse at it from the lack of use.

Amen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-on_sentence

 

[lxskllr]

i suck at math. i failed pre-algebra and algebra 1.

I'm even terrible at subtraction and division. put me under pressure and i get even worse.

I took dummy algebra in high school(algebra 1 split over 2 years), and failed the first year. Two years after school I got into surveying, and did math every day for the next 25 years :^D

Math just takes me awhile to get. I can struggle over new stuff, do absolutely nothing, and come back to it with understanding. When I say understanding, I mean on a superficial level. I don't generally get the base principles, but I can manipulate the numbers with confidence.

 

[Mixolydian]

This just in: Math sucks.