OK! So your real problem is numbers - or did you get here by accident? If you did get here by accident just click on the flowers at top right.

Don't worry! There are many others who do not feel happy handling numbers of any kind - never mind doing (shudder!) mathematics!

Basic Numbers

Even writing and saying numbers - as well as very basic sums come under this category of skills. Try the challenges here to see if you match up or need to learn a little more!

The following is a shopping list against which you have marked the prices as you wandered round the supermarket. Can you work out how much you will have to pay. You only have three twenty-dollar notes - will that be enough?

• 2 Tins peaches - $1.73 each
• 4 loaves white bread - $2.45 each
• 500gm coffee beans - $3.33 per 100gms
• 2 packets Weetbix - $5.46 each
• Large Soap powder - $7.63
• 5kg potatoes - 1.42 per kg

Simple Arithmetic

For some people work is all about measuring things and working out quantities of some sort. Proficiency in simple arithmetic can help you here. The challenges below will help you see if you, too, might need more help!

The drawing opposite is a plan of the lounge in your house. Work out the following sums -

• Assuming that the carpet firm are going to charge you for the largest rectangle of carpet which will cover the floor, cutting off and throwing away the 'cut-out' areas, what area of carpet will you need? At $129/m² how much will the cost of the carpet alone come to?
• You have, fortunately, found another carpet firm which is prepared to sell you carpet for the actual floor area, cutting the rectangle and filling in nicely. What area of carpet are you going to need to buy? At $169/m² is this going to be cheaper than the other firm?

More fun with measuring your house will appear here soon!

Everyday Statistics

Benjamin Disraeli (an English Prime Minister) is often quoted as saying that "there are lies, damned lies and statistics". All too often today the ordinary person is faced with statistics in one form or another. We can certainly help you with this kind of statistics - but not if you want to go into the full mathematics of the subject! Try the little challenge below to see if you might need to learn a little more about statistics (as opposed to 'lies'!).

As you are listening to the television news one evening you hear an item about a political poll of some kind which reports that 45% of voters want to vote for the Nationalist party and 42% for the Labour party. It appears as if the Nationalist party percentage has gone up by 2% and the Labour down by 2% since a previous poll. After a lot of other poll figures, the news-reader says that the poll was subject to a margin of error of 3%. Which of the following statements most closely reflects the figures given?

• The Nationalist party is most likely to get four more seats in Parliament than will the Labour party.
• There is little to choose between the popularity of these two parties.
• There has been no change since the previous poll.
• Labour could get more seats in Parliament than the Nationalists.
• The Nationalists could get as many as ten seats more than the Labour party.

How many of the above five statements could be true?

"Computeracy"

While you might think you know enough to 'get by' on your home computer - whatever the make - you might like to try the following questions - just to see if there might be a few more wrinkles that we can help you with!

Without knowing which kind of computer or system you have bought at home, it is still possible to ask you a few questions about doing your personal accounts on your computer. If you actually do have a home computer then you might like to explore it in trying to find a few answers.

• What kind of software usually provided with a home computer could be used for doing home accounts?
• Does a home accounting system (even the one you discovered by answering the question above) need to do complicated arithmetic?
• If you are looking at your cheque account do you add the value of a cheque you wrote - or subtract it?
• If you have a separate credit card account do you add or subtract the amount of a card transaction?
• When you set up several accounts, how could you arrange to find out how much you are 'worth' (in financial terms at least!)?