Fifty years of Math

[jimmy_ftwayne]

Great Garbage Avalanche of 2505

 

[mikea46996]

My regular Starbucks is awesome. I don't even have to order anymore. My overpriced latte is usually made by the time I get to the register.

Now if they'd just go out of business, I might lose those 20 pounds I've gained the last six months.....

Just tell them it is BABY weight... Nobody has to know otherwise....

 

[rambone]

I remember when I was in grade school in the 1990s some of my math and english books would have nothing but foreign names used in all the "word problems." I remember being annoyed at being indoctrinated even when I was 10 years old, before I had formed any political views. Politically correct rubbish.

 

[rambone]

Fifty Years of Math 1959 - 2009 (in the USA )

Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter
girl took my $ 2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from
my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3
pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her
discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters , but she
hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to
her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this?


BECAUSE OF THE EVOLUTION OF TEACHING MATH IN THE LAST 50 YEARS:
1. Teaching Math In 1950s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit ?


2. Teaching Math In 1960s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?


3. Teaching Math In 1970s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80. Did he make a profit?


4. Teaching Math In 1980s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.


5. Teaching Math In 1990s
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes?
(There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it's ok. )


6. Teaching Math In 2009
Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la
producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?

7. Teaching Math In 2010
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. Income tax is $60. Energy costs under the Waxman-Markey energy tax are $200. Is logging a viable business?

 

[IndyBeerman]

Why bother? It will still be wrong anyway.

I love when you only order one thing, and they still get it wrong. I have made it a point to COMPLAIN TO THE MANAGER/OWNER every single time this happens. I will not except poor service for anything I am spending my hard earned money for. I normaly get free stuff for my trouble, which I do not accept. I tell them "Free wrong is still wrong. Fix the problem!"

I'm sort of a picky eater, do not like onions 90% of the time, tomatoes give me fits (but love ketchup) and not a big fan of mayo, so a lot of times I'll order with a few items, or just a plain cheeseburger.

Inevitably 60 to 70% of the time no matter what I order be it pizza, hamburger or other food items, it is wrong.

I usually start out by asking for the manager to get it fixed, while that is being done I ask them if they like job security, most reply that they do. I then politely inform them that every time a order touches a customers hands that is wrong, their job is in danger from alienating the customer, to eating up profits from wrongly prepared food because all it does is create a negative effective through the entire process.

Most of the time I get the deer caught in the headlight look, but once in a while one gets it and let's me know that they appreciate my business and will fix the problem. Sometimes it works, most times it does not.

Now getting a person at the cash register that has no math ability, I'm quick to point out that if they don't trust that person to balance out their own personal checking account, then they need to remove them from the front line before a mild disaster happens.

 

[jimmy_ftwayne]

If you have one bucket with 2 gallons of water and another bucket with 3 gallons of water, how many buckets do you have?

 

[El Cazador]

I like iced coffee. No cream, no syrup, no sweetener (well sometimes Equal). McDonald's is priced too high, but I do like their coffee, so I'll buy iced coffee there the most. The times I have gotten a creamy, syrupy, glass of coffee after telling the little glassy-eyed drone at the counter or at the speaker from the truck I want a large iced coffee, no cream, no syrup, just ice and coffee, is astounding.

Watching one of them trying to make change is so amusing and annoying at the same time. From the look on some of their faces, getting the few working brain cells to actually function together coherently must be extremely painful.

 

[Fletch]

I've worked quite a few fast food jobs, and I have to agree that there are a fair number of folks at the register who should not be doing anything more complicated than pushing a mop.

That said, it should be noted that working the register -- especially in the drive-thru, is probably one of the most stressful jobs I've ever had. Granted, my experience was working what we affectionately called "the drunk shift", when half of you monkeys were too wasted to stand up straight, but we were still expected to smile, be polite, get the orders right, and hold window times to 30 seconds or less while your buddy in the back seat barfed half a gallon of Jagermeister more or less out the window for me to clean up after the rush died down. It's enough to frazzle anyone's nerves after a while.

 

[BloodEclipse]

If you have one bucket with 2 gallons of water and another bucket with 3 gallons of water, how many buckets do you have?

If your answer is 5 you need to go back to school.

Depends on what sizes of buckets you have. jeez


5 gallon you have 1 bucket.
2 gallon you have 2.5 buckets
10 gallon you have half a bucket.

 

[Rob377]

And it's not just clerks at fast food joints either.

Consumerist - Transcript: Verizon Doesn't Know How To Count - .002


The state of math and science education in this country is completely pathetic. It's no wonder why US companies have to bring in engineers and scientists from other countries.

 

[Fletch]

I've worked quite a few fast food jobs, and I have to agree that there are a fair number of folks at the register who should not be doing anything more complicated than pushing a mop.

Incidentally, it's not always their fault, either. We had one guy named Rick. Super friendly, eager to please, enthusiastic about his work, and borderline retarded. He had an IQ of about 90, and lived in a group home. He was easily confused, but willing to do anything you asked of him, and do it with a smile. The managers -- one in particular -- used to put him on the front register during the lunch rush. She knew he couldn't do it, and she knew he'd mess something up and get the customers all grouchy, but she did it anyway. I'm convinced she wanted to break his spirit (she was one of those). And every time, he'd get up there, eager as a puppy, work as hard as he could, and usually wind up with his cash drawer several dollars off.

Other managers would tell him to keep after the dining room and bathrooms all through a rush, and he'd do a better job than most of us "smarter" employees... not to mention making friends with most of the customers as he did. But Kate was convinced he needed to learn to run the register, so she kept putting him up there and watching him fail. It ain't always the employee that's necessarily the problem.

 

[hornadylnl]

I'm a very impatient person when it comes to dealing with stupid employees anywhere but my patience level goes up a trillion when dealing with special needs people like you find at store entrances, etc. I applaud employers who hire them as well. These people deserve the dignity of helping themselves.

 

[HandK]

That is just too funny, sad but true.

 

[JetGirl]

She knew he couldn't do it, and she knew he'd mess something up and get the customers all grouchy, but she did it anyway. I'm convinced she wanted to break his spirit (she was one of those).

I don't like her already.

 

[Spot Me 2]

I'm a very impatient person when it comes to dealing with stupid employees anywhere but my patience level goes up a trillion when dealing with special needs people like you find at store entrances, etc. I applaud employers who hire them as well. These people deserve the dignity of helping themselves.

+1 I am the same way. I would hope most peolpe are.

 

[Calvin]

I routinely eat my lunches out. Often I have a 20 and the leftover couple of bucks from the last 20. Since my lunches are usually 6-7 bucks, I always give them 21-22.00 so I get a 10 and a 5 back. At least twice a week some cashier kid tries to give me the extra ones back while insisting that I gave them too much.

Having run a cash register in my younger days for many years, I can say that someone paying in change friendly amounts like I do was my personal best case scenario. That kids these days have trouble even recognizing that fact is painful to watch. It is my personal mission to make sure my kids are not those kids.

 

[Calvin]

I'm a very impatient person when it comes to dealing with stupid employees anywhere but my patience level goes up a trillion when dealing with special needs people like you find at store entrances, etc. I applaud employers who hire them as well. These people deserve the dignity of helping themselves.

Just noticed this. I agree a thousand fold. I have a nephew with downs and it is my hope that he can be out there some day doing his own thing. As a society we have to allow those with needs such as his a role to play, be it however so small.

 

[Beau]

If you have one bucket with 2 gallons of water and another bucket with 3 gallons of water, how many buckets do you have?

um 5. duh!

 

[Bubba]

Math in the year 2525 (assuming we are still alive)....


If anyone gets that reference, they get REP!

Hmm... a page and a half of chatter about the song and not one mention of the version sung by everyone's favorite female Browncoat?

Cleopatra 2525 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[hornadylnl]

Just noticed this. I agree a thousand fold. I have a nephew with downs and it is my hope that he can be out there some day doing his own thing. As a society we have to allow those with needs such as his a role to play, be it however so small.

I hope he can as well. There is a place in Lafayette called the Wabash Center that employs a lot of these people. I think they have housing based on their level of needs. In a lot of cases, these businesses are providing a charity as they aren't going to produce enough to earn their keep but we as a society would have to take care if them anyway. So why not try to give them as an independant lifestyle as possible and give them the dignity they deserve? After all, they didn't choose their lot in life. I hope to make some nice donations to organizations that do that sort of thing in the near future.