• shalafi@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    I’d say the ability to do basic arithmetic in your head is a lifelong boon for anyone.

    At Lowe’s we would load bags of mulch. Guy pulls up with a pickup and an order for 30, “OK, we’re going to do 6 stacks of 5.” Motherfuckers, customers and coworkers, would fuck it up every time. Need 72 bricks? 9 stacks of 6. Nope! Idiots would count every brick.

    When I ran a reprographics shop I found myself embarrassed that I couldn’t automatically total a few items, so I practiced until I could. The scion of the local big-time contractor came in and I figured his invoice in my head. He saw me pause for two seconds, “Dude. Why don’t you just use a calculator.” “Faster to do it in my head.” “Yeah, but a calculator doesn’t make mistakes.” “I don’t either. It’s only adding a couple of small numbers.” He walked away shaking his head at my foolishness.

    • PolarKraken@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      5 days ago

      Completely agree with you. But hilariously, 9 stacks of 6 bricks only accounts for 54 of them…please don’t change it lmao

    • Genius@lemmy.zip
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      5 days ago

      Need 72 bricks? 9 stacks of 6.

      “Yeah, but a calculator doesn’t make mistakes.” "I don’t either

      I kind of agree with that guy. I don’t trust John Doe to do math in his head when I’m paying the math. I’d rather some guy I don’t know use a calculator.

      • shalafi@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        We knew each other well. I knew almost every customer that walked in the door.

        Second, the mistake will remain.