I Worry for Our Future

[d2dave]

The title is probably a bit dramatic but here is an experience I had yesterday.

I went into my local supermarket and purchased one item with a value of $1.95. I handed over $5 and got $4.05 change.

I queried the girl, who was about 15, saying she got it wrong, holding out my hand with the incorrect change.

She looked at her screen then my hand. She did not know what was wrong and said to me "I am not very good with maths".

I told her what was wrong and we rectified it. I then asked her why her screen did not show the correct change. She replied that she had hit a wrong button.

I left flabbergasted that this person could get a job on a cash register.

[Eevo]

this has been going on for years.
nothing new

[d2dave]

this has been going on for years.
nothing new

What, a person can't tell that I should have got $2.95 and not $3.95.

What has been going on for years from my point of view is this common scenario.

You buy an item, comes to say $5.25 and you give them $10. They punch it into their till but you then say "I have the 25 cents", and this bamboozles them.

Yes this has been happening for years but my experience?

[Eevo]

What, a person can't tell that I should have got $3.95 and not $4.95.

What has been going on for years from my point of view is this common scenario.

You buy an item, comes to say $5.25 and you give them $10. They punch it into their till but you then say "I have the 25 cents", and this bamboozles them.

Yes this has been happening for years but my experience?

its very annoying, but i rather them working at the checkout instead of being an accountant or pharmacist where the maths really matters.

[bee utey]

I wouldn't worry, my wife still fails at basic maths but leads a happy and productive life. She's good at stuff I have no idea about and I do stuff that amazes her. No person in society is perfect, and a good thing too. If you do not have the skills needed, delegate.

[Chucaro]

To me the worry it is that at the age of 15 she supposed to have learned basic maths.
Two things can happen here, or bad education system or the girl have difficult in learning.
I am worried that many times young people ask me how to spell when they can see how heavy accent I have
It cannot be possible that my "spanglish"it is better that many Australians English.
We need more Ron's in our schools and community

[d2dave]

I wouldn't worry, my wife still fails at basic maths but leads a happy and productive life. She's good at stuff I have no idea about and I do stuff that amazes her. No person in society is perfect, and a good thing too. If you do not have the skills needed, delegate.

I understand what you are saying. I have seen plenty of people who do not excel academically excel in other areas.

But to have a job that involves handling money and could not work out my simple problem.

[V8Ian]

To me the worry it is that at the age of 15 she supposed to have learned basic maths.
Two things can happen here, or bad education system or the girl have difficult in learning.
I am worried that many times young people ask me how to spell when they can see how heavy accent I have
It cannot be possible that my "spanglish"it is better that many Australians English.
We need more Ron's in our schools and community

Do you think the world could cope with another Ron?

[Chucaro]

Do you think the world could cope with another Ron?

I would never give him a job as a purchasing officer
Then again he can be handy to recommending him for this job to the enemies

[bee utey]

I understand what you are saying. I have seen plenty of people who do not excel academically excel in other areas.

But to have a job that involves handling money and could not work out my simple problem.

True, but her junior's wages are so much lower than a trained adult that a few dollars lost here and there can go under expenses. Anyway, most of her customers are probably honest like you and train her at no cost to the management!