Real-Life Math
Purchasing agents use math every day.
You're responsible
for budgets, purchase orders, invoices and the bottom line. That means you
have to add, subtract, multiply, divide and use fractions.
Since working
with numbers is such an integral part of your job, it's useful if you
can add and multiply numbers quickly in your head. This gives you a ballpark
idea of what you're spending before the invoice arrives.
Imagine
you're a purchasing agent for a large jewelry and gift store chain. You
call one of your suppliers with your order in hand. You've budgeted to
spend $5,000 with this company. The telephone conversation goes as follows:
You:
I'd like 150 place settings of the Royal Dane china in the antique rose
pattern. Your catalog lists it at $31 for one place setting.
Wholesaler:
Oh sorry, we're almost out of that. I can give you 80 place settings
of the antique rose or I can get you 150 settings of the morning lilac at
$39 a place setting.
You: OK, give me 50 settings of the antique rose
and 100 settings of the morning lilac. Oh, just a minute...
Think
fast. Are you within budget? Answer without using a pencil and paper, or a
calculator! Want a hint? The trick here is to round each number up or down
to the nearest 10:
$31 becomes $30
$39 becomes
$40
OK? Try again, still without your pencil!