The Cool Cash [lottery] game – launched on Monday – was taken out of shops yesterday after some players failed to grasp whether or not they had won.
[…T]he concept of comparing negative numbers proved too difficult for some. Camelot received dozens of complaints on the first day from players who could not understand how, for example, -5 is higher than -6.
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.
More proof that the Lottery is targeted to and played by people incapable of understanding how outlandish the odds of actually winning are.
gotta love the new maths
Perfect. I think in the case of a game like this when someone erroneously turns in the wrong card that they should be charged the loosing amount.
More proof that the Lottery is targeted to and played by people incapable of understanding the basic math of how outlandish the odds of actually winning are.
They need to keep these things simple, like the match 3 games. Anything more complicated than that and they lose their audience.
More proof that no matter how low your expectation for the average person’s intelligence might be, they always seem to find new and exciting ways of astonishing you with their stupidity.
Cripes!!!
Uncle Dave, your showing your Hendrexian influence, if you know what I mean.
That makes sense to me, considering how far behind the US school system is on Math competency.
Put a poster up near the machine, showing a schematic building with the floors numbered – or just a simple frigging thermometer!
If I had my way about it, anyone came in and demonstrated they couldn’t grasp 1-digit negative numbers, it’d be a matter of “Right, then. I’m afraid I’ll have to arsk you to come with me. It would appear that your continued freedom presents a risk to other persons with IQs in the positive range, not that you’d know what that means… I’m sure you’ll eventually be fit to rejoin modern society after a spot of remedial education.” 🙂
Not everyone is up to understanding the esoteric and abstract. The lottery commision finally understood their mistake and withdrew the game. The important thing in life is giving someone the chance to see their mistake and turn around with something new– like, a hot muffin lottery game where the warmest numbers decide the winner.
I am embarrassed to say as a Brit that this is a British problem and not American, so I guess British math is just as screwed up.
#6: Groovy, man!
If she has trouble with negative numbers, she’ll really have fun with world history and the use of BC or BCE. She might think of someone who was born in 100 BC and died in 50 BC as some sort of wizard or time traveler.
#7 And obviously reading comprehension as well. Assuming #7 was schooled in the US.
It’s OK. I’m sure they can use calculators for all their math needs, so clearly the schools haven’t failed.
The purpose of lotteries is to easily identify stupid people and separate them from their money.
They should include a WALL CHART to show which numbers are higher and lower..
Morans!
And this is why there is a game show called “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader”. Most people aren’t.
you see a problem.
I see an opportunity.
Separating that chick from her panties would be a cinch.
jesus ppl, u dont have to do school to know this
i mean she DOES know that -20 is colder than -1?
Just goes to prove how the lottery is a tax on people who don’t understand math.
WTF i am dyslexic, but i know that -6 is higher than -8.
#9 – Not everyone is up to understanding the esoteric and abstract.
WHAT?!?!?!?!
-7 is greater than -8
What the hell is so esoteric or abstract about that?
#21 – jesus ppl, u dont have to do school to know this
i mean she DOES know that -20 is colder than -1?
So says a guy who cannot write with basic literacy.
#9 – By the way, I know you were joking so please don’t take offense to my post #24 🙂
Which is higher – zero or +zero. Hmm.
Of course that was a joke, pls dont call me an idiot.
#27: You’re not.
http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/univac/minuszero.html
28. Wow, that website makes my hair hurt.
#28 – That website was written by JOHN WALKER
You are supporting Treason Math!
This is proof : -8
is higher than -7