re: A scholar working the drive thru at McD's

Oh so you’re one of those people

From a Dave Barry column thirty years ago:

There's nothing 'nerdy' about mathematics, kids Full column



"A customer walks into a fast-food restaurant, orders two hamburgers costing $2 apiece, then hands you a $5 bill. How much change should you give him?

a. $2

b. $3

c. None, because the question doesn't say you WORK there. You could just take the money and run away.

The correct answer, of course, is that you should give the customer:

d. Whatever the computerized cash register says, even if it's $154,789.62."

Mathematicians like her will be instrumental in getting us back to the moon.

quote:

---

few times a month I like to get the McDonald's double cheeseburger, small fries special

---

:mingo:

quote:

---

I already knew McDonald's cashiers weren't math majors,

---

I could be wrong, but I thought their cash register told them how much change to give back after they entered the amount given.

I’m guessing that cash/change purchases in the past gave a decent “real world” basic math lesson to kids who grew up going to failing schools with a poor math curriculum. Now, with ubiquitous credit/app purchases, this “real world” basic arithmetic (ie a quarter is 1/4 of a dollar, or $ 0.25) is lost.

quote:

---

I do not use debit or credit cards at any type of restaurant or bar. Unless I’m the one holding the card in my hand to make the transaction, I’m paying in cash.

---

So you are worried that someone who fails at basic arithmetic will simultaneously be a genius hacker, and take all of your money?

quote:

---

Now that’s not very nice

---

I once knew a guy who was fond of saying "I don't suffer fools well". Which in context with other things I observed from this gentleman to me meant, I'm smarter than most people and I don't care to waste time with the folks that aren't as smart as me.

That was not an endearing quality to me. I'm sure he didn't care, probably thought I was too stupid to concern himself with.

quote:

---

Making fun of people working at McD’s is pretty low.

---

Not knowing how to do basic 5th grade math as an adult is even lower.

If you can’t make change or compose a decent sentence in an email you should absolutely be ridiculed.

I always do the math in my head and have tax and change figured. I thought everyone did this?