A Classic Math Rant

Published by patrick honner on

dollars and centsThis is a classic confrontation between an attentive customer and some mathematically challenged customer service reps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MShv_74FNWU

The customer has a hard time convincing Verizon that the price he was quoted, .002 cents per kilobyte, is quite different than the price he is being charged, .002 dollars per kilobyte.  “Those are two completely different numbers,” a dejected, overcharged customer says.  “They’re 100-fold different.”

The customer’s attempt to use the Socratic method to illuminate the misunderstanding was admirable, if unsuccessful.

Categories: Appreciation

patrick honner

Math teacher in Brooklyn, New York

2 Comments

Ahmed Gouda · February 28, 2011 at 12:07 pm

I can’t help but feel they were probably acting like they didn’t follow that guy, hoping he’d give up on it. Its hard to imagine a manager of something like verizon involving computers which generally involves knowing past a 4th grade level of math couldn’t follow something this straightforward. Does anyone know if the company actually did apologize, or charge him the proper amount?

MrHonner · February 28, 2011 at 11:59 pm

I appoint you in charge of determining the veracity of this story.

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