Dan Antion

Math Matters – #1LinerWeds

Don’t panic! I know a lot of you don’t like seeing the word ‘math’ in the title. Trust me, this is not a difficult post to follow.

I needed to stock up on some extra fine (220 grit) sandpaper. I don’t use a lot of it, but I always like to have a few sheets on hand. The handheld sander I use is known as a ‘Quarter-Sheet’ sander, so each sheet of paper will yield four sheets on the sander. I figured three sheets would be fine. It’s not the math I’m talking about, but we all realize that will give me 12 sheets for my sander.

At the hardware store, I found a bin of loose sheets, and a rack of multi-sheet packs.  Usually, the multi-packs are a bargain. So much so, that I buy the fine (150 grit) paper in 50-sheet packs – I use a lot of that stuff. In any case, I always check to see.

As you can see in the images below, individual sheets were 49¢ ($0.49) and a 5-pack was $5.99.

49 cents a sheet?
Oooh, a bargain – five sheets for $5.99

Now there’s a bargain for people who don’t understand math.

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner, or if you would like to join in on the fun, you can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.

Bright and sunny but cool at 6:30 am
Smokey still loves his peanuts
I guess this fence is permanent.
This used to be one of my favorite views of the railroad bridge across the Connecticut River. Thanks AmMTRAK :(
I have to work pretty hard to get a clear shot.
This is why I take pictures of this trestle in the winter.
Happy bees
“Excuse me, I was washing my face,”
“Can I stay here and eat?”
I left as soon as I got the photo,
The walker lady – no barking
It rained Monday evening. Not many puddles were left but this is a deep one.
I like how the shadow line from the fence rail connects all the trees.
I have to find these without any help.
Looking good early in the day.


If you like magical realism with suspense, action and a bit of family sarcasm, you will enjoy these books:

Knuckleheads
The Evil You Choose
When Evil Chooses You

Series page on Amazon

My profile page (and books) on Lulu

All available on Kindle Unlimited!

79 comments

  3. Math does matter. On the weekend of the 4th HD had a “special” on small agapanthus 2 for 10 dollars. I almost laughed my socks off when I saw the regular price. (5 dollars each)

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  4. The ability to be able to do mental arithmetic is priceless. Most of my – so-called education – turned out to be pretty much a waste of time except for that one skill. Supermarkets (and hardware stores too!) are out to make as much as they can from the unwary. Trying to compare like for like when one item is priced per 100g and the other is priced per unit. Are those baked beans the same price? But wait. One is 400g another is 410g and yet another is 420g. If you buy in bulk to save money you have to be able to work it out on the spot. Caveat emptor!

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      • With prices and inflation going through the roof here, they are being even more devious than normal. Usually it’s more economical to by the large size of something, but lately I’ve noticed a few items where the reverse occurs and as you have demonstrated, a multipack is not necessarily a good deal. By law every retail store should have a flashing neon ‘caveat emptor’ sign above the entrance!

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  6. If the sign says it’s a bargain, more than likely it isn’t! Retailers are trying to get us coming and going, and often succeed!

    Today’s gallery brought tears to my eyes…so many memories of Maddie. I bet Galloping Grandma missed hearing her bark!

    MuMu would like some privacy Dan to do her girlie things! And Old Glory manages to shine on the background of dark trees. She’s a grand old girl indeed!

    Enjoy this last day of the break in our weather.
    Ginger

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    • Thanks Ginger. In some way, everything we did involved Maddie. Memories of her are never far away, and it is hard not to think about her. I loved the way she would stop and sniff those fallen leaves. She always seemed to find the ones that made nice photos.

      MuMu (and her sister) switch between wanting privacy and wanting to be on stage.

      The heat is back on. I just hope it stays out of the 90s.

      Have a nice day up and over the hump.

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  7. Super power – being able to do math in your head! There sure are lots of folks keeping us on our toes these days. I got this letter in the mail asking me to use a QR reader to do a state survey. It looked legit. I decided to google the company, and that was still looked okay. I googled the person who signed it, and it got iffy. I decided to check the address and found it was a Staples store. After I stopped laughing, I recycled the paper.

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    • QR codes are being abused in so many ways for marketing and scams. Judy. You were wise to start checking around. In many cases, you can’t figure them out until you’ve processed them.

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  8. Hi Dan – we most definitely need to have our wits about us … and our maths … I got a job once (back in the day!) when I worked a percentage out in my head … I probably double check now … but in the shop – I try and do the sensible thing. Love the photos of summer views … pity about the new fence – cheers Hilary

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    • I once wrote retail point-of-sale software for a local store. The owner asked if I could add a percentage discount feature. I said, “you only give one percentage discount, and it’s 10% off paint for painters – who can’t figure out a 10% discount?” Well, none of his younger clerks could.

      That fence looks good, but I don’t think they realized how many people go to that spot to see the train crossing the river. I go often, and I’m never the only person there.

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  9. Like you said, I’m one of those people who hate math, but thanks to the fact that I know you, I read the post. Just how stupid do they think people are?

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  11. You have to wonder how many people pick up that multi-pack thinking they got a deal. I’m not great at math, but I’m good enough. This is not good enough. 😉 Walker lady! Long time no see. Her hair looks different. I growled at her in honor of Maddie.

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  12. I have an awful time trying to do comparative shopping, and I suspect, judging by the numbers of people standing in aisles frowning at two of something in their hands, that others do too. This entire matter of math-in-the-head got me on such a high mental soapbox that I am going to make my own blog post about it instead of writing a ten-mile comment here. As for “caveat emptor,” that applies just about everywhere!

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  18. Size makes a difference too. If it were extra large sheets maybe. Again, making us have to stand on our heads while whistling and blowing bubbles to keep from being ripped off… Hubs is always looking at the price per code to be sure something is a bargain. Also he’s quick to notice when staples like sugar and flout go down. Few cents but the weight is significantly less. Another trick on the unwary consumers. I’ll bet walker lady misses her too, Dan, 🤗❤️

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  20. When #4 Daughter was (briefly) homeschooled, one of her projects was to go to the grocery with me and figure out which item was cheaper per unit. She loved it because it was indisputably useful, and says she still uses the habit/skill.

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    • It is a very useful habit. Fortunately, my mind drifts to the math of things. I just got back from Target. I had stopped at Walgreens for something I almost always buy there. It was $5.59, which I thought was more expensive than the last time I bought it. It had a sign on it that made it look like it was on sale, but the sign was to indicate that the item is OTC (over the counter) approved – for folks with health savings accounts. I decided to check at Target. They had the same item, same quantity for $2.49.

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    • I do miss her, Jennie, very much. The cats are 17, and not in great health. We wouldn’t bring a new dog into the house at this point. We’re going to let let enjoy whatever time they have left.

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  23. I wonder how many people buy the 5-pack and get all the way home before they say to themselves “wait a second…”

    They do this a lot with prescription drugs. I take two prescriptions, each of which is a $5 copay for 90 days’ worth. if I buy them combined into one pill, it’s $50 for the 90-day supply…

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  24. I always appreciate stores that show the unit price… as long as they use the same units for comparison. It’s difficult for us math-challenged folks to figure out how much one brand/size is per ounce vrs. another per liter (for example). Interesting that our math teachers told us that we needed to figure these things out in our heads because we “wouldn’t always have a calculator with us.” Then, came cell phones apps to save us.

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  27. A bin of loose sheets! It’s nice to have options… and happy bees! I especially liked the first photo of morning light shining through the trees.

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  31. I love “Math Matters.” That is a funny one. I used to work for a program called Math Matters to help elementary teachers teach math. Maybe a few more teachers could have used the program! LOL

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