Is it cold in here, or are you just thick?

hugh_abu · #1 06.11.2007, 14:14

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....card_confusion

terryhall · #2 06.11.2007, 14:23

	Quote:	article
	Peter Hall, of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics, said: "The concept of minus numbers is something we would cover with 11 or 12 year olds, and we would expect them to have come across it before."

That's the perfect comment to round off the article with. As is...

	Quote:	some thick manc
	"I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher...than -8 but I'm not having it."

Crikey, we'd better let every scientist alive know, quick...

nickatbasel · #3 07.11.2007, 16:19

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....card_confusion

Summary:

Camelot - the national lottery organisers - withdrew a scratch card because players found it too confusing. The players were supposed to scratch away a window to reveal a temperature lower than the one printed on the card.

Apparently the chavs were unable to figure out negative numbers and did not realise that (e.g.) -6 is lower than -5.

According to the article, 15.1m adults in the UK have poor numeracy skills - which is about 30% of the total adult population.

Oh dear...

Cheers,

Nick

Dodger · #4 07.11.2007, 16:32

Well, as they say:

There are three types of people in this world: those who understand maths, and those who don't.

grumpygrapefruit · #5 07.11.2007, 16:45

"Tina Farrell, from Levenshulme, called Camelot after failing to win with several cards.

The 23-year-old, who said she had left school without a maths GCSE, said: "On one of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did the woman in the shop. But when she scanned the card the machine said I hadn't.

"I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it. "

Amazing

terryhall · #6 07.11.2007, 16:49

Was just about to post that Hugh and I beat you all to it yesterday, but looks like they got merged anyhoo

Castro · #7 07.11.2007, 16:52

The masses are asses. But what makes this even more tragic is that its precisely this lower IQ subset that are the ones most likely to spend >£10/week on scratch cards.

EastEnders · #8 07.11.2007, 17:04

	Quote:	grumpygrapefruit
	"Tina Farrell, from Levenshulme, called Camelot after failing to win with several cards. The 23-year-old, who said she had left school without a maths GCSE, said: "On one of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did the woman in the shop. But when she scanned the card the machine said I hadn't. "I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it. " Amazing

Vicky Pollard would have got her money anway

jemma · #9 07.11.2007, 17:06

That article has made my afternoon!!

	Quote:	grumpygrapefruit
	" "I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it. "

Wonder if I can use the same arguement with my directors over my 2008 budget???

StirB · #10 07.11.2007, 17:06

It's sad to think that some people can't grasp basic concepts.