Hilarious Verizon math

[SwissMercenary]

I wonder if this Dr. Anderson fellow happens to work for Verizon - that might explain their general mathematical incompetence.

Oh, yeah, definitely, if I make up a new name for 0/0, and come up with a half-baked (And incorrect) proof for it, it'll so save lives. I mean, we will no longer have pace makers crashing when they try to divide by 0!

Never mind that any further computations will just produce a non-sensical 'nullity' as a result.

But, hey, he's a PHD in Computing Science, what does he know about the NaN result of 0/0, specified by the IEEE.

[kandrathe]

Just read an update on the BLOG...

Dear George Vaccaro,

Thank you for your reply. Again, I apologize for the miscommunications regarding this issue and for your frustration and inconvenience as a result.

In review of your account a previous representative has credited for the data charges in question for $71.79. You may take this amount off of your current amount due. In the future please keep in mind that it is .002 dollars per KB while in Canada.

It has been a pleasure assisting you today, and we appreciate your business. Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Michelle
Verizon Wireless
Customer Service

"We never stop working for you!"

If you have received this e-mail in error or are not the intended recipient, please notify us immediately by replying to this e-mail and deleting it and all copies and backups thereof. If you are the intended recipient and are a Verizon Wireless customer, this response is subject to the terms of your Customer Agreement.

I would have tried to go at it from the 1 Dollar/100 Cents X 2/1000 Cents/MB x 35895MB = ???

[Nystul]

I would have tried to go at it from the 1 Dollar/100 Cents X 2/1000 Cents/MB x 35895MB = ???

My ninth grade science teacher would concur. It would be difficult to talk someone through this on the phone though. And anyone who can't recognize a difference between $0.002 and 0.002c would probably not understand this unit conversion technic.

At least he got his account credit in the end.

[Ell_man]

Hahaha, this stuff is hilarious.

Turns out this isn't an isolated incident.

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=23376

This other guy even recorded his phone message too.

http://media.putfile.com/mafskilz

This one even has redneck sounding representatives instead of 20something college students.

-Ell_man

[Occhidiangela]

This one even has redneck sounding representatives instead of 20something college students.

-Ell_man

Dear internet bigot:

People with southern and country accents frequently attend, and even graduate from, college.

Warm Regards

Occhi

PS: I fired Verizon as my cell phone provider just over 3 years ago. This relates to the Slashdot merriment how? I shed them like a snakeskin over billing errors, and lousy customer service.

Life without a cell phone was fine. Then, when I was gone for six months, my wife signed us up for a Sprint PCS family plan, and I am back in Cell Phone Hell.

Occhi

[Zippyy]

It would be difficult to talk someone through this on the phone though. And anyone who can't recognize a difference between $0.002 and 0.002c would probably not understand this unit conversion technic.

A brilliant idea one poster (on Dugg, I think) had, was this:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=....tes&btnG=Search

The math, written in plain language, and interpreted by an impartial third party. I'd like to hear the rep trying to argue that Google can't do math.

[the Langolier]

Dear internet bigot:

People with southern and country accents frequently attend, and even graduate from, college.

I don't happen to find his terminology offensive at all. I didn't bother to listen to another recording, but from his discription all I infer is the accent. I guess it is possible that "redneck" has a different meaning where I am from than where you are, but all the "rednecks" I know are proud to be one.

I think it has been established that being a college attendee or grad doesn't necessarily mean they wouldn't make the "$.002 cent" mistake. Isn't it curious that even though $.002 has a dollar sign (which quite obviously indicates dollars), it is still often read off as cents? The symbol doesn't just mean that the number is a monetary value.

[Rhydderch Hael]

Yeah, what ever happened to the ¢ sign? It's not on my keyboard any more.

.002 ¢
Not that hard, people.

[Mithrandir]

I remember spending almost an entire week on dimensional analysis in high school Physics and thinking "Is this for real? How can anyone not understand such a simple concept and why must we spend so long on it?"

:wacko:

[--Pete]

Hi,

I remember spending almost an entire week on dimensional analysis in high school Physics . . .

Really? The full up thing, with pi groups and fractional exponents? Or do you just mean making sure the units are consistent across the equation? For high school, dimensional analysis is pretty advanced and a week is a short time to cover it. Unit consistency is more in line with the level of a high school course, but if a week was spent on that, then the rest of the course would have to be devoted to error analysis.

--Pete

[Mithrandir]

Hi,
Really? The full up thing, with pi groups and fractional exponents? Or do you just mean making sure the units are consistent across the equation? For high school, dimensional analysis is pretty advanced and a week is a short time to cover it. Unit consistency is more in line with the level of a high school course, but if a week was spent on that, then the rest of the course would have to be devoted to error analysis.

--Pete

No, just unit consistency. Didn't experience pi groups until college.

Edit: "Dimensional analysis" was always a term used in my high school for unit consistency, although I realize that it does have some broader implications. I should have been more specific. I would hope that one wouldn't need pi groups to solve the .002 cents != .002 dollars conundrum!:)

[Occhidiangela]

No, just unit consistency. Didn't experience pi groups until college.

Edit: "Dimensional analysis" was always a term used in my high school for unit consistency, although I realize that it does have some broader implications. I should have been more specific. I would hope that one wouldn't need pi groups to solve the .002 cents != .002 dollars conundrum!:)

Would that be like using a bazooka to swat a fly? :o

Occhi

[the Langolier]

I would hope that one wouldn't need pi groups to solve the .002 cents != .002 dollars conundrum!:)

Actually, as far as PI groups are concerned, cents and dollars are the same thing; ironically it would just add to the confusion!

[Merlinios]

I was originally going to post some sort of elation at being enrolled in a tech school, but I realized the letdown is just going to be that much more illusion-shattering when I enter "the real world".

All of my verbal responses toward this....this...stupidity is not a strong enough word. Anyway, I don't think I could even finish a question. Something along the lines of "How could--" and then I cut myself off and wonder if anyone can honestly not get it that blatantly.

--me

[silly girl]

The local QFC had a "10 for 10" sale recently, and all over the place you'd find posters like this:

10 lb for $10/lb

:(


I didn't even try talking to a manager about it, because I knew how that would go.

On a sort of related note, I remember asking the woman cooking food samples where the citrus was in some citrus salmon salad she was passing out (the only fruit in it was mango and pineapple). I expected her to say that they are both acidic, but no. "They are both in the citrus part of the fruit section."

:wub: