1+1=2 Do We Need to Explain This?

[Dips]

Seriously. We got a call from a woman who does purchasing for a state government.

She had ordered two updates for two licenses. She placed both items on a single line on the PO and listed the price as $300 per unit. Total: 2 updates.

When we processed the PO one of the licenses was newer than the other so it only had an update price of $200.

On the invoice we listed the $300 update on one line and the $200 update on another line. Total: 2 updates.

Cue the outraged phone call. "You guys are billing us for something we didn't order!"

Pointing out that she ordered two updates, got two updates and was billed for two updates had no effect. She somehow was counting 3.

Pointing out that the invoice total was $100 less than they planned to spend? Not sinking in.

She couldn't or wouldn't get it through her head that 1 item plus 1 item was the two items she'd ordered. Would NOT get it.

This woman works in purchasing office. You'd think mastering first grade math would be a job requirement.

[Ellf]

See, in her mind 1+1=Potato.

[Lurking Sockpuppet]

See, in her mind 1+1=Potato.

I beg to differ. 1 + 1 = Fish

[NateTheChops]

Well, I think you may have found one of the many holes through which our economy is draining...

[NorthernZel]

Actually, some matemathicians did some serious algebra to point out that 1 + 1 indeed equals two:

Proof One

Proof Two

Proof Three

[NateTheChops]

How much of my taxpayer dollars did those equations cost? Was it the same amount it cost for some anthropologist to determine that the lettering found on the antikythera, which was discovered in Greece, was Greek?

[MoonCat]

She was using Customer Math. It's like Customer Standard Time in that it has no connection to reality.

[Hyndis]

I beg to differ. 1 + 1 = Fish

How I mine 4 fish?

[Food Lady]

See, in her mind 1+1=Potato.

I'm on my lunch, and good thing I wasn't drinking my soda when I read this! Also, it reminds me of the potatoe/potato debate.

[BlaqueKatt]

See, in her mind 1+1=Potato.

I beg to differ. 1 + 1 = Fish

dammt I thought it was clam

[Mytical]

WAYYY off topic but reminds me of a joke one of my Accounting Teachers used to tell.

Company is doing an interview for an accounting positions and have narrowed it down to three possible people. The first one is brought in.

Interviewer - "What is 1+1?"
Prospective Employee - "2"
Interviewer - "Thank you, we will let you know if you get the position."

Guy leaves a little confused.

Second person is brought in..

Interviewer - "What is 1+1?"
2nd interviewee - "2"
Interviewer - "Thank you, we will let you know if you get the position."

Last person is brought in.

Interviewer - "What is 1+1?"
Last Person - Closes the door, draws the curtain, while the interviewer looks on confused. Finally the last person comes real close to the interviewer, looks around and whispers. "What do you want it to equal?"

Guess who got the job?

[HawaiianShirts]

To a limited degree, I can somewhat understand her confusion if she put her two updates on a single line and then saw a statement later with two lines (you know, if she was having a particularly DUH day and decided to ask questions before doing any thinking whatsoever), but having to have that explained more than once is just stupidity.

We got a call from a woman who does purchasing for a state government.
...
This woman works in purchasing office. You'd think mastering first grade math would be a job requirement.

You might think that, unless you worked for state government. I'm sure not all states and agencies are this way, but I work for one, and we're not allowed to use semicolons in our work procedure manuals because they're considered to be above the eighth-grade reading level. Sometimes it seems to me that intelligence is being deliberately eroded here.

[dalesys]

I beg to differ. 1 + 1 = Fish

dammt I thought it was clam

Of course it's clam! Clams got legs! Two of them!

(this post brought to you from B.C.)

[Dips]

Well. We have a happy ending here. Apparently the twit hounded thier accounting office AND the receiver at their warehouse into calling us about this.

And, as luck would have it, both of them listened to us and understood that there was nothing to worry about. The receiver marked the order as correct and complete as did the accountant.

Nothing the twit can do about it now.

[Misfit_Toy]

Eleven.