There was a time not too long ago when people knew how to count change. Modern technology seems to have interfered with that basic math skill. Lately I’ve been paying for goods with cash and using up the change in my coin jar. I find it absolutely astonishing that the last half dozen or so times I’ve paid for something with cash, I’ve received the incorrect change back.
The first time happened at an airport about a month ago when my bill came to $7.07 and I handed the clerk $7.27. You’d think that would be a no brainer, but after a minute or so of staring into the cash register, the clerk handed me back $0.14. I was flabbergasted but didn’t have the heart to correct her for fear of embarrassing her. After all I was traveling in a state who’s mathematical testing scores rank below average compared to the rest of the country.
When I returned home, I did what I normally do after being gone for several days and went grocery shopping. So, I decided to pay for a few items with cash. I handed the clerk $20.25 for a $20.05 charge and received back $0.15. Not wanting to be a pain over a nickel, I ignored the error again. Now this happened in a state who’s mathematical testing scores ranked above average. The clerk was a middle aged man, so I assumed he had to have counted change back when the cash registers didn’t figure it out for you.
It got me to thinking, do children learn basic addition and subtraction in school anymore? Do they know how to apply those math skills to every day life or is it just something they take a test on? Do they know how to add up change properly? When the cash register tells them to return $0.73 maybe they don’t know how to add nickels, dimes, quarters and pennies to arrive at that figure.
Counting change seems like such a simple, basic skill. I remember being taught how to do it in school and at work. Maybe I’m being overly critical, but I have to wonder are students learning the skills they need for every day life? Has our society become so reliant on technology that we fail to think for ourselves anymore? Well, that’s my $0.11 cent opinion. Oh wait, I’m missing the $0.11 because it’s still in their cash register drawers instead of my wallet.
Di's Journey 