So many young people seem unable to do basic maths

Bretrick

Bretrick

Well-known Member
Location
Perth Western Australia
In ordering my lunch, I handed over a $50 note and a $2 coin for food worth $11.
The server wanted to give me the coin back. I would not take it. She waved the note saying, this is enough.
I said I want two $20 notes in the change. She gave me blank stare
I said, 52 minus eleven, look of trepidation flashes across her face. She goes to till, uses calculator, rings up till.
What do you think I got back?.....$91. 2 x $20 notes, 1 x $1 coin plus the original $50 note.
I stare at her, not taking the money, she waves it at me, I continue to stare, she looks at money and sheepishly twigs.
 

At my first jobs, I had to calculate the change in my head. The cash registers only took in money. I still do that.
BTW, they can't spell much either. Surely is surly.
 

Victor said:
At my first jobs, I had to calculate the change in my head. The cash registers only took in money. I still do that.
BTW, they can't spell much either. Surely is surly.
Click to expand...

Me too. we also had a guide , of sorts, to figure the sales tax to manually put it in. In later years I worked a job where we had to figure change....a guy I was training had an order come to $2.45, or something like that. I had to help him count out the change.
 
That is because much of education these days in the public school is about starring into their phones and "feeling good." Learning Math is an option that many students refuse. Hence, the problem: If you have 1 dollar, and something costs 25 cents, what will you have left over? DUH! IS THERE AN AP FOR THAT DUD!
 
American History is no longer taught. Basic math is not needed because they have a calculator on their cellphone. Phonics is no longer taught.
Yes, English and Literature is still taught, but for how long?
What happens when the cellphones, TV and computers all go out?
 
Gaer said:
American History is no longer taught. Basic math is not needed because they have a calculator on their cellphone. Phonics is no longer taught.
Yes, English and Literature is still taught, but for how long?
What happens when the cellphones, TV and computers all go out?
Click to expand...
I have often wondered what will happen when a massive solar flare destroys all the satelites and the world is plunged backwards 50 years.
We rely too heavily on technology.
So many time we read about computer glitches that disable banks for one.
Chaos would rein the world over.
 
I wonder if our grandparents felt like we had lost some sorts of abilities. Maybe we were dependent on a ballpoint and didn't know how to make a quill pen? I remember whenever my grandfather visited he'd bring pens as presents, he seemed to think they were cool newfangled things.
 
Victor said:
At my first jobs, I had to calculate the change in my head. The cash registers only took in money. I still do that.
BTW, they can't spell much either. Surely is surly.
Click to expand...
That's the way it was. To make ends meet when I was a penniless student, I did weekend work in a busy bar. We had to calculate the round of drinks in our head, get it one penny wrong and the customer would give you a glare as though you are trying to rob them.
 
I figure with giving back change, no one has taught them how to do that. It's a simple explanation that nearly anyone would have no trouble with. I taught my kids how to do it nearly 20 years ago, because I was so aggravated that virtually no one manning (or womaning) a cash register knew how to do it. They couldn't do it in their heads, obviously.

I rarely use cash, but when I do, I count my change if it is a larger purchase.
 
I remember loving math in school, and when my grandkids wanted help with their assignments, I was shocked at what they were being taught!

Part of the 'no child left behind project' these days is such a joke .... they want to Dumb Down everything, until nothing makes any sense.
I just could not believe what they are teaching ... or really, NOT teaching.

How did things go so wrong?
 
And it is unclear knowing the tax rate on food, and everything else. It can vary by state, county and city or village especially on liquor. I am not sure the managers know. You could be charged too much (or too little) tax.
It is all automatic.
BTW Gaer, why say that American history is not taught? As far as I know, high schools and college teach it.
 
Gaer said:
American History is no longer taught. Basic math is not needed because they have a calculator on their cellphone. Phonics is no longer taught.
Yes, English and Literature is still taught, but for how long?
What happens when the cellphones, TV and computers all go out?
Click to expand...
Very true. I've been in many stores when their servers go down & the cash register doesn't work. The cashier just stands there with a dumb look on their face saying we can't ring you up till our computers come back online. Most times I just walk out of the store. Let them put back all the stuff I have in my cart/trolly.
 
Victor said:
BTW Gaer, why say that American history is not taught? As far as I know, high schools and college teach it.
Click to expand...
Not Gaer here, but, I can tell you that history is not being taught in grade school as it was when we all went. My grandson had no idea about the Vietnam, Korean war, or even about WWII. He could however tell me the proper way to put a condom on a cucumber. :rolleyes: :(
Remember when high school and college was for higher learning? Dumb them down. :mad:
 
Aunt Bea said:
My big gripe is that cashiers of all ages don’t count your cash back starting with the purchase amount and adding back your change.

These days they just thrust the receipt and money into your hand.
Click to expand...
And that is really the easiest way to give accurate change. Unfortunately, many places especially since the arrival of Register's where amount tendered is entered and it tells the cashier what change to give. And they don't count that to you either. Which if it involves more than one each of bills and coins they really should. Should anyway cause if they think they pulled a 10 but maybe a 5 got in with 10s, you are more likely to register a discrepancy between what they say what is in front of you.
 
I suspect that the reason why so many of today's young people have to go to college is because of the "shortfalls" in our current public schools. I look at what our young great grandkids are getting in school, and it is quite disappointing. Being "politically correct" seems to have taken the priority in todays schools.

When I went to school, we had a 3 tiered system....classes for the majority, classes for the "slow learners", and classes for those who were "fast learners. I, luckily, fell into that class, and I took classes that most kids today don't get until well into their college years.

Today, such "discrimination" would not be allowed, and teachers have to teach to the lowest level of "ability" in the class....which leaves most of the students just getting bored.
 
There must be big differences in school districts. I remember not being able to help my kid in elementary school homework because they learned math techniques I didn't know existed. Then in middle school the kids were cruelly (IMO) overloaded with homework, and the high school was divided into four specialties, so like the kids were already having to major years before college. Later we moved to a rural area school that seems more like when I was a kid, except even here the high schoolers took some courses at the community college. There is a lot of pressure on young people starting at such young ages.
It's possible the ones we run into in fast food and grocery stores weren't the star pupils.
 
When I was working at our plant in maintenance, we used to get some engineers right out of college who didn't know there were left-handed screws. Or how a variable speed pully worked. Also, a lot of others.

Many of us guys/gals in maintenance had to teach them how to do what they wanted on a machine. The collages are also dumbing down or didn't have any common sense.
 
Gaer said:
American History is no longer taught. Basic math is not needed because they have a calculator on their cellphone. Phonics is no longer taught.
Yes, English and Literature is still taught, but for how long?
What happens when the cellphones, TV and computers all go out?
Click to expand...
Bad mistake there Gaer! Those that are ignorant of their history are certain to learn nothing and repeat the mistakes of the past. I guess it all started some years back when education administrators (many who never taught school) decided that it was important for kids to "feel good" about themselves. This led to continuous passing. Even if you were the class dummy you still were guaranteed a pass at the end of the year. They explained as "educating the kids according to their needs". They said that kids could not be failed as they would have a poor image of themselves for the rest of their lives. Everyone had to "feel good." Courses were watered down to a joke. Oh yes, there were kids that learned and went on to collage but others left high school and were unable to read and write. University profs were mad when they taught 1st year courses and found out that their students were terrible writers and they were in university. Many failed at the univeristy. The students were not prepared for collage nor prepared for the job market but hey, "They felt good" in the grade and high schools. Sad situation.

We can't blame the teachers nor the students who did their best. All these new "wonderful" ways of teaching were implanted by administrators; some who were paid to go to conventions in Florida and California. My, my! What a nice convention to go to and have fun under the sun. They came back home (to Canada) with "wonderful" new ideas for the classroom teachers. For example, from California came the concept of the open classroom. All the interior walls were taken down so there were several classes or pods of students were in one large area. The teachers hate it. The teacher with the loud voice dominated the whole area and the other teachers and students found it hard to hear their own teacher much less concentrate on their assignment. Thank you NOT California Administrators for that one.
 

Attachments

  • Churchill.jpg
    Churchill.jpg
    35.8 KB · Views: 1
Last edited:
Bretrick said:
I have often wondered what will happen when a massive solar flare destroys all the satelites and the world is plunged backwards 50 years.
We rely too heavily on technology.
So many time we read about computer glitches that disable banks for one.
Chaos would rein the world over.
Click to expand...
The cell phone has become the DRUG OF CHOICE for many people. Their addiction is so strong that they sleep with their phones and keep checking it all day long every few minutes. Not only students and young adults but some pretty "old timers" that I personally know that come to "Happy Hour." LOL
 
Bretrick said:
In ordering my lunch, I handed over a $50 note and a $2 coin for food worth $11.
The server wanted to give me the coin back. I would not take it. She waved the note saying, this is enough.
I said I want two $20 notes in the change. She gave me blank stare
I said, 52 minus eleven, look of trepidation flashes across her face. She goes to till, uses calculator, rings up till.
What do you think I got back?.....$91. 2 x $20 notes, 1 x $1 coin plus the original $50 note.
I stare at her, not taking the money, she waves it at me, I continue to stare, she looks at money and sheepishly twigs.
Click to expand...
Legally, the young lady is only supposed to give you the correct change in whatever way she wishes. If you had explained that you wanted two $20 notes in the first place, I am sure there would have been no confusion :)
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top