Hey SP...What percentage is 116 out of 145?
Seriously though... I see both sides. Math was always easy for me, and I can do most things in my head. However, many of my students are let us say..."mathematically challenged"!
hmmmmm come to think about it... many of my students are "liguistically challeneged" as well!
The majority of my students can not do math without a calculator or computer, and can not spell or use grammar without a spell or grammar checker!
However, how often are you going to be doing something where one of those two (if not both) are readily available tools? Sallie is right, the Dunkin Donuts chick should have simply typed it into the register, and been pleasantly surprised when it came back as a $10, a $5, and a dime! My suspicion though, is that she may never have encountered anyone that would do that math in their head before. Most people simply do not wish to do so even if they can.
On a side note, my grandfather used to go to the grocery store and keep track of the bill total (including tax) for every item in the cart in his head. When he got to the checkout line he knew exactly what value it should be, and several times had to correct data entry mistakes the clerk made entering the prices into the cash register! I never once saw him be wrong!
On the other hand... he was a math professor at a University.
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