Lack OF Math Skills In America

So, I stop by the local Quicky Mart for a case of beer and some gas. Beer was $22 and change, I gave them $40 and said put the rest on pump 5. It is a pre pay pump. So, I am pumping away, and notice I have $20.73 pumped.

OK, so, I go stand in line again, and explain that a mistake was made, and I owe them for some gas. Just in my head, $40 - $22.something is $17.something. So, I owe about $3. They said I owed $1.53. I was not in the mood to argue with them.

Makes me wonder. The cashier had a cash register, and a calculator on hand. This is not Calculus, the future does not look good.

Eh, rant over, have a great weekend!

 

I stopped at a regular place . Bought 3 packs of flavored cigarillos. 79 cents plus tax. So the cashier charged me 79 + 3 for tax + 3 for three packs = 85 cents. For three packs!! I couldn't hardly make her believe I owed her money. A family member says she does that always and they just pay and go? Guess nobody ever notices the missing product or money. If in business watch the till.:guns

 

Come on, plus sign or multiplication, don't ask so many questions. :-D Sadly, this is elementary math....

And they can't do it. :cry

 

I luv it when the cash register is broke and the people have to add and subtrct to make change. @ 14 years old at a gas station I learned to count up to the denomination. Guess that's old school.

 

I guess I am old school as well. Get the dollars right, then the change...

 

Well, not to get too much into my tinfoil hat conspiracy Laura, but would that not be a good way to take over a country? :confused

 

Not sure who you mean by 'he', but yes, I do think the educational system is full of fail on purpose. Now, who is directing this 'purpose' has not been revealed to me.

When you have people that can't make change, or understand Economics, it is much easier to change things.

 

Ahh, now I know who 'he' is. I see what you did there. :-D

 

3 +2 is 7, if you really 'feel' that is right. :-D

 

*Shrug* I've probably forgotten more math than the average person in the US knows.

 

Thinking more like twice the math in your case. :-D Sadly, making change for a $20 ain't advanced math.

 

This is true. It is even a challenge today to find people who can tell time on an analog watch.

I made sure my daughter knew how. That and she is getting an A in advanced math in a school with quite high academic standings.
Advanced math is what the grade ahead of her learns at a standard level.

I may or may have not helped with that

 

I've had this issue three times, twice at fast food places. At a Wendy's a few years back I got around 12 bucks of food. Gave the gal at the drive up window a $20 bill, and got back almost $30.00 in change. I had to assist her in making the right change. Ditto at a Mcdonalds sometime later. This time it was a male, but pretty much the same situation. Both were teenagers, but well old enough for such simple math problems. They both were very appreciative of my help . . . who knows how many other people took advantage of them if this was a normal day for the two? I'm surprised that modern cash registers don't prevent this kind of thing.

The third time was at a liquor store, and the clerk gave me too much money back. Guy got belligerent when I pointed out he gave me too much money. Accused me of being a 'quick change artist' and trying to rip him off! lol After about the second time he called me a thief I said, "Whatever you say, Einstein" and walked out with my 'discounted' Jack Daniels. Guy hadn't even been drinking, that I could tell. Went back later and talked to the owner. Got a feeling he didn't keep that job long

 

The days before direct deposit I used Wextern Union for money services. Cashed a paycheck. Working 60+ hours so it was a nice check. Got a hundred dollar bill too mich. Was at home before I realized it. They always copied a photo id and security cameras in place. That might have influenced my thoughts, but I also figured the nice lady would be out of pocket or fired for the missing amout. I took it back. She was all smiles everytime we met after that. Maybe bad math or new bills. People handling money need to be sharp.

 

Had a experence once that was not about lack of math skills by the clerk but more like you can't ague with the cash register.
I had bought something on sale and was returning it. I had my receipt showing what I had paid for the item but when the clerk scanned the item it rang up full price. I pointed out to her that she was trying to hand me too much money. She got mad and said it was store policy and she had to give me what the register said.:confused I tried to convence her she was making a mistake, even suggested she take another look at the reciept, but she refused to see her error. No matter how I tried to explained it she insisted she was right.rolleyes In fact she got quiet ugly with me.

 

At a Sears store the womens area had a clearance rack. Several nice pairs of pants. Wife picks out three pair two of which had the discount price attached. One pair was labeled size 0. No price. But had to be a size 4/5. Took all to the checkout. The size 0 rang up $0. Clerk manually entered the upc # still came up $0. He smiled and said " I guess you get a bargain on these." Good deal.

 

I often get a laugh at the McDonalds drive through. Say my order comes to $21.50 and so I tender $51.50 in cash being a $50 note and change then expecting to get a $10 and a $20 note for change. The cashier gives me the change from the $50 and says that's $1.50 too much. When I say I wanted my change as notes they reply sorry the register doesn't work that way :guns

Yep I agree with OP that maths skills are slowly dying out and if texting continues to gain popularity then I feel there will also be a decline in speech skills

 

The last three times I've gone through the MCD drive-thru, I've paid three different prices for the same thing.

I would have fought them, but the first two times were in my favor

They got it right the third time.

 

Swap places here .... I have KFC on the way to work on Sundays maybe once a fortnight (instead of McDonalds) always exactly the same order and prices vary by $1 to $2 most of the time WTF rolleyes
After having it explained many times, I still don't understand and so now if it is less I just say nothing :confused

 

Same here. McD employees seem to have a hard time calculating things off the dollar menu. I think it is rather funny.

Of ALL the menus you shouldn't be able to screw up on, that should be it.

 

Classic but I guess it is a tricky job roflmao

 

Here in my area the Dollar Menu has been changed to the Value Menu and prices for some items went up and the price can be different at different McDonalds locations around here also. When traveling we have found some McDonalds do not even have the Dollar or Value Menu and some cities add a city tax to the bill, so you just never know what that cup of coffee will cost..

 

Sadly, the cashiers don't seem to know what that cup of java will cost either. :-D

 

Clerks often have to make up for a short drawer. That's why it angers me when people take advantage of someone, no matter how stupid their mistake was, in the belief they "aren't really hurting anyone." This is just as much theft as if you reached into the till and took a handfull.

I've had issues with new bills . . . they do tend stick to each other. I'm in the habit of crumpling crisp, new bills a bit before I put them in my wallet.

 

I can remember in 4th grade learning how a cash register works and how to make change. I did a two week tour of duty in the lunch room selling milk,
raisins, peanuts. Learned how to close out the register(yes a real cash
register)