why cant people do simple maths without a calculator nowadays?

[numberouno]

was in a shop t'other day. the shop assistant could not work out 24 x 2, i was saying it out loud muttering (which is normal for me) assistant said ill just go work it out for you! i said its ok its 48 - it stopped him in his tracks!
as a child i knew my times tables etc. any one else come across this type of annoying thing?

[B00]

Basic maths like that I can do- but anything beyond that I'm afraid I go blank. I've never been good with numbers. It may be annoying to you but think of us poor sods who've always struggled with maths.

And yes, some times tables I still struggle with.

[cazzz1975]

a lot of people get out of the habit of doing mental arythmatic, it does not mean they are stupid its just something that gets forgotton (like school french) unless you work with numbers regularly.

my son is a maths whizz, he can do very complicated equations in his head very quickly.

[legend.isgod]

Lack of education and dependancec on cash registers and calculators is to blame.
Id imagine some folk think long division is a foreign language.

D T H ?�?�

[ChuckFickens]

Yes, an assistant in I shop I went to the other day used a calculator to work out 3 x 99

Hardly a tricky sum!!

It doesn't really annoy me though... more makes me laugh.

[Bathsheba]

I'm ok with times tables apart from 7X- i was off school with tonsilitis when my class did it (true story) x

[numberouno]

im 39 so i finished school ooh a short while ago, the assistant was only about 22. maybe i should have asked one about Wii or Xbox etc?!

[pastafreak]

I feel a bit sorry for them....it also shows that shops do not make sure the people they employ have basic numerancy skills.

[numberouno]

well folks - i think ill have to help these poor people out - ill ask a maths question in each shop i go in....or is that a bit sick?

[ChuckFickens]

Bath...

1 x 7 =7
2 x 7 =14
3 x 7 =21
4 x 7 =28
5 x 7 =35
6 x 7 =42
7 x 7 =49
8 x 7 = 56
9 x 7 = 63
10 x 7 =70
11 x 7 =77
12 x 7 =84

:-)

HTH

[Postdog]

I know the tune but not the lyrics

[cazzz1975]

sounds a bit preachy to me numerouno, some people have genuine difficulties with numbers, nothing to pour scorn on...

[wonkon-wonk]

ello grav!

[China Doll]

Tortures brain slowly

297 Chuck?

I'm onw of these people, I am awful at maths. I can probably give you the correct change back without the need for a til to tell me but that would be my limit. I've always had difficulties with numbers.

[ChuckFickens]

Correct

numberouno give china some stars for being correct please :)

[China Doll]

Oh thank God!

[numberouno]

i take on board all these things - it just seemed to be happening in soo many places that i thought it was worth mentioning :-)

im sure there is at least one thing each of you can do that i cant QED (hope this doesnt open the floodgates!)

[catcuddler]

its possible to have a thing similar to dyslexia only with numbers.maths baffles me the way words baffle people who are dyslexic.the assistant prob felt very embarrassed

[Ethel]

Counting your pocket money and change was a good way of learning mental arithmetic - farthings, halfpennies, pennies, thrupnies, half bob, shillings, half crowns and crowns...

I blame decimalisation.

[Bathsheba]

Thanks Chuck!.
Yes Ethel , you knew where you were when buying something priced 79/11 :-)

[Bathsheba]

Yes catcuddler- there is. There was a guy on the radio this morning saying he had a type of number dyslexia, and the bank had issued him with a special card in order to use his signature in shops instead of chip + pin.