Which is Higher -6 or -8
05 November 2007, 09:46 PM
#1
Which is Higher -6 or -8
'Cool Cash' card confusion - News - Manchester Evening News
A Cool Cash Lotto ticket
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'Cool Cash' card confusion
Ciara Leeming
3/11/2007
A LOTTERY scratchcard has been withdrawn from sale by Camelot - because players couldn't understand it.
The Cool Cash game - launched on Monday - was taken out of shops yesterday after some players failed to grasp whether or not they had won.
To qualify for a prize, users had to scratch away a window to reveal a temperature lower than the figure displayed on each card. As the game had a winter theme, the temperature was usually below freezing.
But the concept of comparing negative numbers proved too difficult for some Camelot received dozens of complaints on the first day from players who could not understand how, for example, -5 is higher than -6.
Tina Farrell, from Levenshulme, called Camelot after failing to win with several cards.
The 23-year-old, who said she had left school without a maths GCSE, said: "On one of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did the woman in the shop. But when she scanned the card the machine said I hadn't.
"I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it.
"I think Camelot are giving people the wrong impression - the card doesn't say to look for a colder or warmer temperature, it says to look for a higher or lower number. Six is a lower number than 8. Imagine how many people have been misled."
A Camelot spokeswoman said the game was withdrawn after reports that some players had not understood the concept.
She said: "The instructions for playing the Cool Cash scratchcard are clear - and are printed on each individual card and in the game procedures available at each retailer. However, because of the potential for player confusion we have decided to withdraw the game."
More than 15m adults in Britain have poor numeracy - the equivalent of a G or below at GCSE maths
Almost three times as many UK adults (15.1m) have poor numeracy - the equivalent of a G or below at GCSE maths - than with poor literacy skills, according to the government's Skills for Life survey.
Peter Hall, of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics, said: "The concept of minus numbers is something we would cover with 11 or 12 year olds, and we would expect them to have come across it before.
"The concept of smaller numbers is something that some people do seem to struggle with. Seven is clearly smaller than eight, so they focus on that and don't really see the minus sign. There is also a subtle difference in language between smaller - or lower - and colder. The number zero feels lower.
"There have always been some people who find numbers and basic mathematics difficult. Maybe in the past it was less noticeable because people could find jobs they could excel in without having qualifications in maths."
A Cool Cash Lotto ticket
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'Cool Cash' card confusion
Ciara Leeming
3/11/2007
A LOTTERY scratchcard has been withdrawn from sale by Camelot - because players couldn't understand it.
The Cool Cash game - launched on Monday - was taken out of shops yesterday after some players failed to grasp whether or not they had won.
To qualify for a prize, users had to scratch away a window to reveal a temperature lower than the figure displayed on each card. As the game had a winter theme, the temperature was usually below freezing.
But the concept of comparing negative numbers proved too difficult for some Camelot received dozens of complaints on the first day from players who could not understand how, for example, -5 is higher than -6.
Tina Farrell, from Levenshulme, called Camelot after failing to win with several cards.
The 23-year-old, who said she had left school without a maths GCSE, said: "On one of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did the woman in the shop. But when she scanned the card the machine said I hadn't.
"I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it.
"I think Camelot are giving people the wrong impression - the card doesn't say to look for a colder or warmer temperature, it says to look for a higher or lower number. Six is a lower number than 8. Imagine how many people have been misled."
A Camelot spokeswoman said the game was withdrawn after reports that some players had not understood the concept.
She said: "The instructions for playing the Cool Cash scratchcard are clear - and are printed on each individual card and in the game procedures available at each retailer. However, because of the potential for player confusion we have decided to withdraw the game."
More than 15m adults in Britain have poor numeracy - the equivalent of a G or below at GCSE maths
Almost three times as many UK adults (15.1m) have poor numeracy - the equivalent of a G or below at GCSE maths - than with poor literacy skills, according to the government's Skills for Life survey.
Peter Hall, of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics, said: "The concept of minus numbers is something we would cover with 11 or 12 year olds, and we would expect them to have come across it before.
"The concept of smaller numbers is something that some people do seem to struggle with. Seven is clearly smaller than eight, so they focus on that and don't really see the minus sign. There is also a subtle difference in language between smaller - or lower - and colder. The number zero feels lower.
"There have always been some people who find numbers and basic mathematics difficult. Maybe in the past it was less noticeable because people could find jobs they could excel in without having qualifications in maths."
05 November 2007, 10:25 PM
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It's, its, 15s, 15's, CDs & CD's.
You could put it with the above in its understanding level. That would mean many that use this site would fail the scratch card test.
You could put it with the above in its understanding level. That would mean many that use this site would fail the scratch card test.
05 November 2007, 10:26 PM
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05 November 2007, 10:28 PM
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If this is even half way true there is no hope for this country. How frigging thick can people be?
Love this quote:
You don't need a GCSE in Maths to undestand that, just a couple of working brain cells you dumb cow.
Love this quote:
I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it.
You don't need a GCSE in Maths to undestand that, just a couple of working brain cells you dumb cow.
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05 November 2007, 10:30 PM
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"I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it.
"I think Camelot are giving people the wrong impression - the card doesn't say to look for a colder or warmer temperature, it says to look for a higher or lower number. Six is a lower number than 8. Imagine how many people have been misled."
"
"I think Camelot are giving people the wrong impression - the card doesn't say to look for a colder or warmer temperature, it says to look for a higher or lower number. Six is a lower number than 8. Imagine how many people have been misled."
"
05 November 2007, 10:31 PM
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But I'm not having it
Priceless how stupid people can be. She must have had time to reconsider her claim before speaing to the media? Surely the reporter must have said, "Love, you're ****ing stupid. **** **f"?
Priceless how stupid people can be. She must have had time to reconsider her claim before speaing to the media? Surely the reporter must have said, "Love, you're ****ing stupid. **** **f"?
05 November 2007, 10:36 PM
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i really hope her local newspaper took up her crusade and made it front page, just so she becomes a local 'celebrity'...who knows ? the local town may need someone to turn on their xmas lights 
05 November 2007, 10:42 PM
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Tina Farrell, from Levenshulme, called Camelot after failing to win with several cards.
The 23-year-old, who said she had left school without a maths GCSE, said: "On one of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did the woman in the shop. But when she scanned the card the machine said I hadn't.
"I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it.
The 23-year-old, who said she had left school without a maths GCSE, said: "On one of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did the woman in the shop. But when she scanned the card the machine said I hadn't.
"I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it.
I think she must be related to Vicky Pollard. 
05 November 2007, 11:43 PM
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Perhaps Ms Farrell, from Levenshulme, would understand the concept better if she was sent on a day trip to Siberia and let her work out whether -32 was lower than -5.
I have some sympathy for her though as one of the others to complain was a Ms C Vorderman (allegedly
)
I have some sympathy for her though as one of the others to complain was a Ms C Vorderman (allegedly
)
06 November 2007, 12:00 AM
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06 November 2007, 08:19 AM
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Interestingly that wasn't the most stupid thing the retarded girl said at the shop she bought her ticket from......she also said "I'll have a scratch card please"
06 November 2007, 08:50 AM
#21
Does anyone else get the impression that -
Tina Farrell (maiden name), a 23 year old unemployed mother of 4, Blake - 8, Paris -5 , Tyler - 3 and Cortnee 8 months.
Tina Farrell (maiden name), a 23 year old unemployed mother of 4, Blake - 8, Paris -5 , Tyler - 3 and Cortnee 8 months.
06 November 2007, 09:46 AM
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How could you possibly lose!
06 November 2007, 02:49 PM
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What's the answer then
Mind you,I can only just see the lady at the till behind all the plastic skyscrapers filled with the magical scratch cards.
Even the lottery ticket purchase is a pain now
Wed or Saturday sir? lucky dip sir? dream number sir? dailyplay? Euro crap sir?
NOOOOOOO! go back to one bleeding draw on a Saturday and stop encouraging the poor to give their benefits/pensions back to the government via the lottery.
I don't even bother anymore
Mind you,I can only just see the lady at the till behind all the plastic skyscrapers filled with the magical scratch cards.
Even the lottery ticket purchase is a pain now
Wed or Saturday sir? lucky dip sir? dream number sir? dailyplay? Euro crap sir?
NOOOOOOO! go back to one bleeding draw on a Saturday and stop encouraging the poor to give their benefits/pensions back to the government via the lottery.
I don't even bother anymore
07 November 2007, 08:02 AM
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