On Saturday, August 29, 2015 at 12:16:57 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
On 8/29/2015 9:53 AM, Muggles wrote:

OTOH, when I encounter someone who actually knows how to
count change *back* to me, I make a point of drawing attention
to that fact: "Ah, someone who knows how to COUNT CHANGE!!"
with a broad smile.

I think a person has to be at least 45 to remember how to COUNT CHANGE!

That may be so. OTOH, it seems like *being* 45 doesn't guarantee
they *will* count change! I see just as many older cashiers who
hand you a pile of money and a receipt. Or, who count what they
have *given* you to ensure it agrees with what the machine
claims they should have given you!

People no longer seem to have a "feel for numbers". When a friend/neighbor
asks me to help one of their kids having trouble with "math", the first
thing I do is ask them to "show me 3" -- invariably, they hold up three
fingers. "Great, now show me 9" -- again, 9 fingers, but now they're
starting to get a bit nervous in anticipation of my *next* request!

"OK, show me 27" (Crap! Even if I take off my shoes, I can't get to 27!!)

So, their eyes dart around as they try to find "27 of something". I.e.,
they are *counting* things looking for a total of "27". (Whew! Thank
god there were all those books on the shelf!!)

When you jump to even bigger numbers is where you start to make your
point: "show me 395"; "show me 5,329"; etc. Of course, they soon
realize that they can't find 5329 of *anything* and verify that count
in the time available. But, neither can *I*! So, they pick something
and *reason* that it's "about 5329". Or, "395". Or, "85,032".

And, that's the whole point -- to get a *feel* for magnitudes. E.g.,
"2" is one more than "1". But, it's also TWICE as much! Yet, just a
sixth of a dozen, etc.

I purchased two IDENTICAL bottles of something some time ago at the
grocery store. Each was $9.95. I pulled a $20 and two singles from my
wallet in anticipation. And, was amused when the cashier told me it
would be 40-something.

I have a pat way of handling this situation (it happens often): I
pull my cash back to my chest, smile and say, "What's wrong with
this picture?". An astute cashier will quickly survey the purchase
and the total and catch their mistake (I once was billed JUST
$11 for a few pounds of crab meat and super colossal shrimps...
celarly WAY undercharged).

This one got adamant/defensive and demanded to know what my "problem"
was.

Still smiling, I picked up one of the bottles: "This is $9.95 -- let's
call it $10" and set it aside. Then, reached for the second IDENTICAL
bottle: "This, *too*, is $9.95. Let's call *it* $10. $10 plus $10..."
and pointed to the $40+ total displayed on the register.

Still not catching on, I just said, "could you please void the sale and
ring it up, again?"

Of course, in that case, *I* would have been out the extra $20 so no
skin off the cashier's back (until trying to balance the drawer and
wondering why there was "extra" money!).

But, what if our roles had been reversed? Her incompetence (at
gauging numbers) would have *cost* her $20! How often could she
(on her wages) afford to get screwed in that way??

I've been given too much money at the bank drive through and returned it. I have people ask me why I gave the excess back? My answer is because IT'S NOT MINE. I had a crotchety old feller tell me about the time he was given too much money at the bank drive through and when the teller told him to please move on because there were other people in line, he said OK and drove off with the extra money. The extra money he would have returned if the teller hadn't been curt with him. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Bank Monster