3415 Mathematically challenged

It's no secret. Numbers are not my field. I took algebra and geometry in high school and managed to graduate from college with zero math, getting caught in a net of new requirements when I was in my mid-30s as I decided to update my teacher's certificate (I never used it), which by then had a basic math requirement. So when I saw this week's poetry topic. . . "to think as mathematicians, to equate. While we do equate our world with words when we write poetry, I think a prompt like this, to see the world as a mathematical equation. . ." I'd already blacked out by the end of the instructions.

However, even with my math challenged brain I sensed something was wrong with the meat prices this morning. If meat is about to pass its due date for safety, it is marked down, and if you get to the counter at the right time, you can pick up some bargains. I watched the clerk with her little calculator this morning paste the mark-down stickers on the meat.

Something looked a little odd, but not being able to compute in my head I just selected the items that looked good, not noticing that 1 lb. hamburger at $2.89 was now reduced to $.90 which the label said was 40% off or $1.07/lb. I wish I'd bought several. A one pound package that costs $.90 is obviously, $.90/lb, and $1.07 isn't 40% of $2.89--so everything on the sticker was mixed up. I picked up .55 lb of boneless ribeye which was originally $13.49/lb reduced to $8.18/lb and the label said "you pay $3.60 instead of $7.42". I did buy two, because although I can't figure numbers, my heart was beating "bargain, bargain." A similar thing with the stew meat. I'm not sure what sort of calculator/label printer the meat department clerk had, but it definitely went to school with me.

If I weren't so math challenged, I would have pointed out the mistake to someone, but didn't figure it out until I got home and was putting the groceries away.