The Born Loser by Art and Chip Sansom for April 17, 2021

Please pass the…..hand calculator.

I was really disappointed when it happened to me: back then, in the early ’60s there were no calculators.

Add the totals together and divide by eight and use the average.

Don’t look to dad for help. Brutus will try the same thing and come up with at least 16 different answers!!

/SMIRK/

I’d say to add all his totals and divide by the number of separate totals for the correct answer but he may well end up doing that over and over.

I imagine these are the same mistakes Brutus makes in Veebleflester’s office.

Aside from the obvious cheat with a calculator, a good method is to break up the column into sections. Add those sections separately, break those into sections if needed, add them until you have a manageable amount of numbers to add together.

Keep trying. You’re bound to come up with one of those eight answers again. When you do, go with it.

Are you allowed to use an abacus?

Must be learning to balance a checkbook!

Has the IRS recruiter called you yet?

I started my finance career box balancing spreadsheets, before Excel.

Worked with a guy in the government. I was doing budget . He asked to help. Gave him a spreadsheet to add up. Just one sheet! He came back an hour later. Said he couldn’t get totals to match. Told him just let me do it.

Reminds me of me.

In recent years, I have sort-of switched over to adding up the numbers, ignoring the tens column, then add all the “remainders” (so to speak), then adding the two totals together. It does seem easier to do in my head that way…

Missed the concept but at least we know he can add……

Looks like Wilberforce is getting prepared for a government job when he grows up.

That’ll give you an idea of what it’s like to do your income tax return…

It’s not your fault, you’re a Thornapple.

been there. . .So done that! :)

Notice, the Dad is simply staying quiet! That’s smart!

He has the making of a Congressman.