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<p>When I worked for McDonald’s in high school, the math-inclined got to work the registers, the rest did the cooking: You were tested to see if you could remember the order and the prices and add up the total plus add sales tax while you filled the order and then returned to the register to collect payment. Much faster during rush hour!</p>
<p>Today the bosses are able to put anyone on the register. So, yeah, when I hand a cashier a $20 and a $1 for an $10.95 payment, I have to say, “I need a ten back” or they get confused, try to return the single and then hand me 4 more singles and a five.</p>
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<p>A calculator isn’t necessary on either the SAT or ACT – it’s actually more of a crutch to allow the stressed-out student to attempt brute force solutions instead of reflecting on looking for the hidden shortcut.</p>