What Counts Today

Numbers have always been an abstract way to observe and classify the world, but they are useful for those who need to understand how much of something is available. When a student first begins learning numbers, they are exposed to new concepts. Many children find it easy to master the first few numbers of any number system, but they begin to struggle when they are taught to manipulate numbers. Addition and subtraction are just the beginning, so students struggling with them will find advanced concepts like multiplication and division nearly impossible.

Counting is generally nothing more than adding and subtracting numbers, so it should be easy for anyone who has been educated through primary school. Computers have changed the way the world works, and many people have come to rely on them for counting purposes. They are the most advanced calculators on the planet, but they are not a reason to neglect learning to count.

Cash registers do everything today, and they do it faster than those operating them can count. They scan items, update inventory and they even process payments. Many people have begun to rely solely on electronic payments methods, but there are still some who prefer to use cash. The register will notify the clerk how much change to give a cash customer, and few of them know how to count out cash without them. They are no longer expected to know how to add up change and bill from the total to equal the amount the customer has given them, and they are handicapped if their register stops operating.

Learning how to count objects is taught to small children, but it is not always retained by adults. For those who want to retain their skills, taking the time to count their many blessings in the modern world might be a way to keep them current.