90s teacher be like

how did somebody find that image

Well, I don't think the percentage of a stranger approaching me to randomly ask how many apples John has after getting his taxes money back is very high

In 2018 most people do have calculators. However, the better you are at math, the faster you can answer simple questions, and it certainly gives you some credibility when you’re discussing a relatively simple math problem at work and you don’t need to stop and run it on a calculator to answer. If you work with your hands this is helpful too- like needing to calculate a radius or an angle, or convert a number or perform some other calculation with your hands covered in chemicals or dirt, and then not having to reach into a pocket, or having to touch your phone. Or having your hands full working and not being able to easily get to your phone. That is also hoping you don’t need an answer when you’re out somewhere and your battery is dead. So while they were largely wrong that a calculator wouldn’t be a common carried item for most people- the idea still holds that it’s better to know it and not need it than need it and not know it.

My teacher always introduced a situation in which we'd be stranded in the desert with no calculator