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Joe bought 500 apples for 1 dollar each and 400 bananas for 2 dollars each to make a huge fruit salad because he was feeling incredibly hungry that day. How much did Joe end up spending at the Incredibly Expensive Fruit Shop in total? We’re all used to seeing similar math problems pop up in school.
However, what if we were to tell you that these people who buy huge quantities of things aren’t just a figment of the imagination of somebody who prints math textbooks. These people are, in fact, real. They live among us. Your neighbor might be one. Bored Panda compiled this list of people with math problems who were spotted in the wild. So get ready to see some stuff you’ve probably never seen before. Upvote the pics that made you go ‘oh wow,’ and share with your family and friends because you know they’ll enjoy this post.
After scrolling through this list, take a look at Bored Panda’s post about a viral equation that people can’t agree on what the answer is, as well as our post about how a teacher uses LEGO to explain math to school children.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
The Guy My Math Teacher Was Talking About
Chris Kourou 6 years ago
This is going straight to area 51. Cocktails as a welcome drink for aliens
RELATED:
#2
Danny Has 1,496 Bananas Protecting Him From Outside Forces. If He Eats 1,369 Of Them, How Many Are Left?
#3
My Friend Purchased 28 Industrial Sized Clear Bags Of Cheetos. Each Bag Cost Him $65. What Was The Amount He Paid In Total?
We can’t imagine what went through somebody’s head when they decided to buy 600 bottles of soda, a bajillion bananas, or so many Cheetos that you could comfortably survive in a post-apocalyptic world for several hundred years. While thoroughly impressive (and expensive to boot), the question that pops into our minds is: Why? Were you that thirsty/hungry/bored?
#4
Example From A Math Textbook
#5
I Always Wondered How Many Bananas It Would Take To Fill A Car
#6
The Moment The Cashier Found The Person From The Math Problems
While math problems about somebody named Sarah buying 300 gallons of milk might seem like a waste of time to some, learning math is actually very important. Pi Day writes that learning math helps improve your brain and might even help you make good decisions faster.
#7
I Was The Kid From Your First Grade Math Problems With 87 Watermelons And 132 Cantaloupes
Aria Whitaker 6 years ago
This doesn't look so strange, just looks like a harvest on a small melon farm or something...
#8
I Think About Him Every Day. Why Did He Need The Bananas? Why Did He Need The Milk?
Kris June Mason 6 years ago
I met a guy in line at our local store that was buying 20 gallons of milk - said he bought this much twice a week - he said he is in charge of a local Mexican restaurant and it's cheaper for him to get it from the local store than have it delivered and he regularly goes thru that much - mostly for kids wanting chocolate milk. Never would have guessed this one.
Pretty Pangolin 6 years ago
Yes, I was thinking he belongs to a church that puts on meals for people in need.
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Kevin Donegan 6 years ago
I'm guessing he works at a smoothie shop in the next strip mall over.
Karen Bassler 6 years ago
Had a customer at our natural foods store put ALL the butter into her cart, drive it around the store for several hours and then leave it in an aisle...
Toast Of Saint Louis 6 years ago
Sometimes it's other stores buying all that stuff for resale and hike up the price and they do this a lot if it's a poor neighborhood hood who wants to eat healthy. Or, he could be buying all that for a homeless shelter, I've seen that too.
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
He helps a number of single mothers feed their children, or donates to a food bank.
Ms Phit 6 years ago
Probably works for a homeless shelter- I used to be the banana person on our meal team- every month I'd have to bring 60-80 bananas for the people that were staying in the shelter. Got some strange looks when I was in the store, but it also started some good conversations about how to help out people who really needed some care. (didn't want to clean out the stores of bananas so I'd often have to go to two stores to get them all)
misteriosa 6 years ago
Coupons he absolutely didn't want to go to waste even though probably most of the purchase will? Although I sincerely hope it is for humanitarian reasons.
Dynein 6 years ago
My parents have a fruit-beverage themed party every year (it's always the same, everyone loved it when they did it the first time round so they decided to repeat it every year), so my mother has made similar purchases... Maybe this man is throwing a party with lots of banana-shake?
#9
Soda For 6 Cents. The Obvious Course Of Action. I Think, They Got 600 Bottles. They Are Definitely People From Math Book
What’s more, math helps you tell time: a surprising number of kids (and adults) can’t read the hands on an analog clock, and it’s a useful skill to have, even if we are living in the digital age.
#10
Math Problems Never Been This Real
#11
He's The Guy From Your Math Problems
#12
Found The Car From All The Middle School Math Problems
Math has some serious applications in real life when you grow up as well. It helps you balance your budget, make sound financial decisions, and avoid debt.
#13
The Man From Our Math Problems
#14
Met One Of Those Guys From The Math Problems Tonight
#15
This Is The Person You Learned About In Math Class: "Sally Bought 1000 Bags Of Chips"
There’s even a place for math in the kitchen — basics like adding, subtracting, multiplication and division help modify recipes to fit the number of people you’re treating to a delicious dinner. Let’s just hope that dinner isn’t going to be a fruit salad made up of 500 apples and 400 bananas.
#16
A Guy Buys 38 Watermelons, He Can Take 2 In Both Hands, How Many Times Will It Take For Him To Bring All Of Them Home?
#17
If Brian Buys 2000 Bananas And Eats Half Of Them In One Sitting, How Many Loaves Of Banana Bread Can He Make With The Remaining Bananas?
#18
Found The Guy From The Math Problems
#19
I'm The Guy From Your Math Books Who Has A Ton Of Pizzas In Their Car
#20
I Found The Guy From All Those Elementary School Math Problems At Walmart
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What do you think ?
Chris Kourou 6 years ago
Apparently there is something going on about buying huge amounts of bananas. TELL US WHAT IT IS
DE Ray 6 years ago
Mash one banana. Beat one egg. Combine. Congratulations, you have pseudo-pancake batter.
Load More Replies... DE Ray 6 years ago
I didn't work in retail long, but I had several cases of people doing things like this - turns out most of them owned their own stores and decided it was cheaper to buy the products from the store I was working at than to get it from a wholesaler. There was one store owner who bought 24 bottles of motor oil from us every week, and told me he sold it at twice the price he bought it for.
Stijn Van Hove 6 years ago
Supermarket chains here have a very unionised workforce, so they can never stay open past 20h00. We have other small independent stores where it's usually just one guy and his family running it, and those tend to be open all night, but they usually don't have the connections with wholesalers. So they also do this. Go to the big supermarkets during the day to stock up, then at night sell it at double the cost to whomever is desperate enough to need groceries at 22h00.
Load More Replies...
SirPatTheCat 6 years ago
I'm going to wonder forever what in the world these people are doing with that much food. Why were bananas a common food to buy a kajillion of? Are they planning to eat it all themselves? Do they work for a business that only makes banana bread? So many questions, so little answers...
Dianna Siever 6 years ago
My theory for the bananas is banana splits. You'd get the ice cream and toppings directly from the distributor, possibly far in advance, but you'd need to purchase the bananas no more than two days prior. Nutella and banana people are getting together for a gigantic party, and I want to go too.
Martha Meyer 6 years ago
This will be a common sight in the UK soon. Brexit is coming. Panic buying will ensue. The smart ones will buy tons of toilet paper instead of bananas.
Rosie Hamilton 6 years ago
Oh yes. Panic buyers are the worst though - they cause more of the shortages than actual shortages. The bit I'm worried about is only my meds.
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Nami Tantrum 6 years ago
a few days ago i saw my first math problem perseon xD... bought about five kilos of bananas
Night Owl 6 years ago (edited)
Only about 5 kg? Apparently he was underachieving. :D
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Steve Barnett 6 years ago
Bit like if there's the threat of snow in the UK. There will be no bread or milk at all left in the supermarkets. It's like everyone's having massive toast and tea parties.
Lesbian Thespian 2 years ago
why are most of these bananas? Like what is it about the bananas???
Kathleen Nelson 6 years ago
Hey- I taught maths for 36 years and NEVER saw a problem in any text book that even comes close to these ridiculous situations!
Cookiefoot 6 years ago
I'm trying to figure out the bananas too. I hope the world doesn't run out of bananas. This seems a little scary.
Roger Haywood 6 years ago
I was asked to do some shopping for an elderly relative once. On the list was 100 rolls. I thought she meant bread rolls, so I got them. She meant loo rolls, as in toilet paper. Anyone can make a mistake.
R.s. Potter 6 years ago
The owners of small neighbourhood strip mall restaurants sometimes shop this way, if an item is on sale. A man in front of me in the checkout line had a huge quantity of meat. I asked him if he had a Bengal tiger in his basement.
Chris Kourou 6 years ago
Apparently there is something going on about buying huge amounts of bananas. TELL US WHAT IT IS
DE Ray 6 years ago
Mash one banana. Beat one egg. Combine. Congratulations, you have pseudo-pancake batter.
Load More Replies... DE Ray 6 years ago
I didn't work in retail long, but I had several cases of people doing things like this - turns out most of them owned their own stores and decided it was cheaper to buy the products from the store I was working at than to get it from a wholesaler. There was one store owner who bought 24 bottles of motor oil from us every week, and told me he sold it at twice the price he bought it for.
Stijn Van Hove 6 years ago
Supermarket chains here have a very unionised workforce, so they can never stay open past 20h00. We have other small independent stores where it's usually just one guy and his family running it, and those tend to be open all night, but they usually don't have the connections with wholesalers. So they also do this. Go to the big supermarkets during the day to stock up, then at night sell it at double the cost to whomever is desperate enough to need groceries at 22h00.
Load More Replies... SirPatTheCat 6 years ago
I'm going to wonder forever what in the world these people are doing with that much food. Why were bananas a common food to buy a kajillion of? Are they planning to eat it all themselves? Do they work for a business that only makes banana bread? So many questions, so little answers...
Dianna Siever 6 years ago
My theory for the bananas is banana splits. You'd get the ice cream and toppings directly from the distributor, possibly far in advance, but you'd need to purchase the bananas no more than two days prior. Nutella and banana people are getting together for a gigantic party, and I want to go too.
Martha Meyer 6 years ago
This will be a common sight in the UK soon. Brexit is coming. Panic buying will ensue. The smart ones will buy tons of toilet paper instead of bananas.
Rosie Hamilton 6 years ago
Oh yes. Panic buyers are the worst though - they cause more of the shortages than actual shortages. The bit I'm worried about is only my meds.
Load More Replies... Nami Tantrum 6 years ago
a few days ago i saw my first math problem perseon xD... bought about five kilos of bananas
Night Owl 6 years ago (edited)
Only about 5 kg? Apparently he was underachieving. :D
Load More Replies... Steve Barnett 6 years ago
Bit like if there's the threat of snow in the UK. There will be no bread or milk at all left in the supermarkets. It's like everyone's having massive toast and tea parties.
Lesbian Thespian 2 years ago
why are most of these bananas? Like what is it about the bananas???
Kathleen Nelson 6 years ago
Hey- I taught maths for 36 years and NEVER saw a problem in any text book that even comes close to these ridiculous situations!
Cookiefoot 6 years ago
I'm trying to figure out the bananas too. I hope the world doesn't run out of bananas. This seems a little scary.
Roger Haywood 6 years ago
I was asked to do some shopping for an elderly relative once. On the list was 100 rolls. I thought she meant bread rolls, so I got them. She meant loo rolls, as in toilet paper. Anyone can make a mistake.
R.s. Potter 6 years ago
The owners of small neighbourhood strip mall restaurants sometimes shop this way, if an item is on sale. A man in front of me in the checkout line had a huge quantity of meat. I asked him if he had a Bengal tiger in his basement.
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