[Teddybear99]

Originally Posted by tpmab

But then, being aware of mathematical conventions has little to do with intelligence. It's like calling someone stupid because they don't know the capital of New Zealand, or how to read a compass, or because they have poor punctuation.

This reminds me of one of my favourite quotes:

“Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.” ~Albert Einstein

[idiot_box]

Originally Posted by jende

Never heard of BODMAS, but then our maths lesson represented more of a riot then maths! The lessons mainly consisted of what can we do to the teacher today rather than any learning. I never actually took part in it, but hated maths so was happy to spend most the lesson not doing maths!

Did know about mulitple and divide before addition and subtract though! But mainly from doing formulas in excel!

Oh God, flashbacks of a lengthy and tiresome thread about BODMAS on the General Discussions forum on DS a few months ago.

just do it in this order and forget any pre-conceptions:

B rackets
O f
S ubtraction
M ultiplacation
A ddition
D ivision

Anything else is incorrect, trust me (I had the same maths teacher as Marcus De Soutoy)

[DeelyBopper]

Originally Posted by ECPC

So how are you supposed to work out simple sums in everyday life without a calculator ? How can you check your change or work out the price of two drinks unless you know basic mental arithmetic ?

I use the calculator thing on my 'phone now, but before that I had one of those built into a digital watch and way back in the day I used an abacus.

As for change I just trust the person giving me my change. Two drinks, the person selling me them says "here you go guv'nor, that will be 'x' amount of pounds and 'y' amount of pence.

[Flight815-23D]

Originally Posted by DeelyBopper

I use the calculator thing on my 'phone now, but before that I had one of those built into a digital watch and way back in the day I used an abacus.

As for change I just trust the person giving me my change. Two drinks, the person selling me them says "here you go guv'nor, that will be 'x' amount of pounds and 'y' amount of pence.

And you trust them to be better at arithmetic than you are?

[radiofree]

Originally Posted by Sarrbar

I thought that was quite mean of Julian.Humiliating Rian like that. She was put on the spot, felt sorry for her.

put on the spot? being asked 20% of 100 is like being asked to spell 'cat'. it's actually pretty alarming an adult doesn't know something so basic.

[HughOS]

Shocked at the standard of maths on here if people think that was a trick question. This is what you learn in primary school. "Per cent" means out of 100, so obviously "20 out of a 100" of 100 is 20. The other question is simple arithmetic. You don't need be have a maths head, just basic comprehension. Shocking.

[whoyouarexo]

Originally Posted by phill363

I don't think she's entirely dumb because if it though, I think she just got confused.

I mean 20% of 100 is 1/5.

Yeah that's how I saw it

[Darcyprincess]

Originally Posted by phill363

I don't think she's entirely dumb because if it though, I think she just got confused.

I mean 20% of 100 is 1/5.

Well she did actually get it right but did not need to add the percent on. 20% is 1/5th like you have said. She did just get confused, she is not stupid or dumb!

[Darcyprincess]

Originally Posted by Devon

how could 20% of 100 be 5%

it's like saying a table is a chair.

What is wrong with people on here it is 1/5th!

[jg.]

Originally Posted by Darcyprincess

What is wrong with people on here it is 1/5th!

no, love, it is not.
That's like saying 50% of £100 is half a rabbit!!!

[JT Effect]

Originally Posted by Darcyprincess

What is wrong with people on here it is 1/5th!

20% (of anything, not just 100) expressed as a fraction is 1/5, yes, but that's not what Julian asked.

[zanecoot]

Originally Posted by Pirouette.

Ahh this is where BODMAS comes in, right? Finally a proper use for my maths GCSE

My maths teacher used to lurk behind anyone who seemed to be nodding off and shout: "BOMDAS!"

Which, I think has more impact than BODMAS, while being equally correct.

[Paul_DNAP]

Originally Posted by racol5

I'd make some kind of ''couldn't buy enough peroxide'' but a lot of people seem to have a thing called mathlexia and I know peroxide blonds aren't all dumb ...

It's actually Dyscalculia - the learning disability for artithmetic (calculations) - which is similar to dyslexia for words (or lexicon).

Don't know what mathlexia would be (aside from a mix of latin and greek) - probably doing sums with words.

[Supersarahp]

Originally Posted by dechecho

I agree. Of course it was not a difficult question, but it was a trick question designed to catch someone out and make them look stupid.

How was it a trick question? What is 20% of 100? Where is the trick???

She answered it as if he had asked "What percentage of 100 is 20?"

Classic case of not listening to the question asked. He did repeat it 3 times so she doesn't have much excuse.

[lulu g]

Originally Posted by What name??

She cares. She doesn't want people to just see her as a pair of tits and the object of gossip...

She may be in the wrong line of work, then.

[JVS]

Not as bad as Jedwood on Million Pound Drop who put £50K on the human body having less brain cells than fingers and toes.

[Ten_Ben]

Originally Posted by Supersarahp

How was it a trick question? What is 20% of 100? Where is the trick???

She answered it as if he had asked "What percentage of 100 is 20?"

Classic case of not listening to the question asked. He did repeat it 3 times so she doesn't have much excuse.

Huh? She didn't. It would still have been 20. She said 5!

[lulu g]

Originally Posted by Paul_DNAP

It's actually Dyscalculia - the learning disability for artithmetic (calculations) - which is similar to dyslexia for words (or lexicon).

Don't know what mathlexia would be (aside from a mix of latin and greek) - probably doing sums with words.

It's more of a linguistic question than a mathematical one. If you're good at English and rubbish at maths, you would still know the answer. If you know the meaning of 'per cent', then the answer is obvious. There is no calculation required.

[Teddybear99]

Originally Posted by JVS

Not as bad as Jedwood on Million Pound Drop who put £50K on the human body having less brain cells than fingers and toes.

They also said in the break that they knew it was fingers and toes because they had read the question wrong and panicked.

[GeekNZL]

Originally Posted by phill363

I mean 20% of 100 is 1/5.

Not quite.

20% of 100 is 1/5 of 100, or 20.

20% of 1 is 1/5.

[DeelyBopper]

How much is VAT these days?

[GeekNZL]

Originally Posted by Supersarahp

She answered it as if he had asked "What percentage of 100 is 20?"

I think you mean "What percentage of 100 is 5?" (Her answer was 5%.)

See, it's not that hard to get confused by these things.

[never say never]

So whats the answer then? i thought it was 20 :/

[bigBro2011]

does it make a bad person because i laughed for 3 solid mins while watching it? i only ask because i felt slightly guilty afterwards and im unsure whether im slightly mean or im just happy to be home watching the show and my reactions are enhanced?

[misslibertine]

Originally Posted by Darcyprincess

What is wrong with people on here it is 1/5th!

It's really not.