# Funny yet sad at that same time



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Teaching math 1950 to present.

Last week I purchased a burger 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 in teaching math since the 1950s:

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 2013

Who cares, just steal the lumber from your rich neighbor's property. He won't have a gun to stop you, and the President says it's OK anyway cuz it's redistributing the wealth


----------



## 9manfan (Oct 22, 2008)

Kinda scary at how real that is....


----------



## GreenHead6 (Feb 6, 2013)

100% true!
I helped my better half grade 8th grade English papers a week or so ago (which was a mistake), and for heavens sake it was brutal!
I honestly thought I was reading a text message. You hear about the education and how bad it really is. After experiencing it first hand, it's depressing!


----------



## specialpatrolgroup (Jan 16, 2009)

Ha, I do this all the time, the trick is you have to wait until the register pops open and it tells them how much change to give you, then say, wait I have 12 cents or something. Sometimes they rering the transaction to get the right change amount, now and then someone may get it right, last time at taco bell it cost me like $3, but it was worth it for entertainment value.


----------



## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I worked at a truckstop and wow what BS some customers would pull. Most of the time it is best to let the computer tell you what you need for change. I had one guy who was slick and had me confused and I was going to give him lots of extra change. That is why you put their cash on the tray when you give them the cash. I retyped it in and saw what was happening and got it right.

We had a daily print out of how far off our tills were off plus or minus. What a pain in the rear that was. They wanted you to be at 0. If you were under a dime you were fine but still got it mentioned to you. Basically doing anywhere from 10 to 30k in diesel sales plus all the junk truckers buy. The boss was so tight on money there was not a day where profit-sharing and the costs of doing business was not brought up. In case some of you do not know. Everything you buy at a C-store is marked up at least 100%. If it is cool then it is far more. Sunglasses the Oakley knock offs that are $20 we got them for $5.00.

The speed of light was instituted because Chuck Norris didn't want get winded outrunning it. Chuck Norris hates to sweat.


----------



## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Better send our POTUS back to school for some math lessons. Told us last night that the government has reduced the deficit by 2.5 trillion dollar. Of course that reduction won't be realized until 2022............News for you MR. Prez ... Nothing has been reduced.......... projecting a reduction IS NOT a reduction.... Thats like me saying I have $100,000 saved up for my retirement when I only have $25,000 in the bank right now...................... gotta love modern math.............


----------



## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I think your math is wrong. You ment to say

Thats like me saying I have $100,000 saved up for my retirement when I only have $25.00 in the bank right now.

You know with intrest and the fact that the gov will just take what you did not save from the rich.

You are very right. I do like the we will not raise the debt but we will be spending a ship load of cash.

You know we can spend our self out of debt. :shake:

Chuck Norris once bench-pressed the entire state of Ohio, and all of its residents.


----------



## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

My wife worked for Meijers for a while. She got a repermand for being 25 cents over in her till.

 Al


----------



## specialpatrolgroup (Jan 16, 2009)

Well if you want to see if you are smarter than the average bear, I scored 78% without giving too much away, I missed a question that I would have no way of knowing, and messed up one 2 that I should have known better on but was rushing through.

Full Civic Literacy Exam (from our 2008 survey) 
Are you more knowledgeable than the average citizen? The average score for all 2,508 Americans taking the following test was 49%; college educators scored 55%. Can you do better? Questions were drawn from past ISI surveys, as well as other nationally recognized exams.
Took about 6 minutes to go through the 33 multiple-choice questions. Very simple and straightforward.

http://www.isi.org/quiz.aspx?q=FE5C3B47-9675-41E0-9CF3-072BB31E2692


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

75.76% and I was ticked I missed the one about FDR's new deal. I could not remember if it was Great Society or New Deal.


----------



## JBB (Feb 9, 2005)

If you want to have fun and mess with these kids, ask how many peice of nuggets they have. After they tell you 6 or 12 tell them you want a half of dozen. I have done this and been told they only come in 6 or 12. They do not have them by the half dozen. Cannot blame society, blame parents. Has to start somewhere.


----------



## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

JBB said:


> If you want to have fun and mess with these kids, ask how many peice of nuggets they have. After they tell you 6 or 12 tell them you want a half of dozen. I have done this and been told they only come in 6 or 12. They do not have them by the half dozen. Cannot blame society, blame parents. Has to start somewhere.


Another good one, if you buy something that cost $3.75, give them a $5 bill and three quarters, most of the time they give me the quarters back, sometimes along with two ones. It's really hard to point out their mistake instead of just walking away.

Took the above quiz, got 81.82%, may take it again sometime.

Huntin1


----------

