# Math aptitude testfor prize claim

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-aptitude-testfor-prize-claim/7679>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 21, 2000, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-aptitude-testfor-prize-claim/7679 "2000-02-21T02:32:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![loadtoad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8baadc/32.png) [@loadtoad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loadtoad)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2000, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-aptitude-testfor-prize-claim/7679/1 "2000-02-21T02:32:00Z")

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After Gulping down my Godzilla big gulp soda at Taco Bell, I played the peel off game attached to the side of my cup. I was dissapointed at my loss, but became rather intrigued with the rules… The rules read “Canadian residence must take a math aptitude test before claiming prize.” WHAT??? This has bugged me for two years now, and although the contest is over I was hoping someone would remember why this was necessary…

Thanks J.C.

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**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2000, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-aptitude-testfor-prize-claim/7679/2 "2000-02-21T02:38:00Z")

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Isn’t it something to do with games of chance being illegal in Canada, and adding a math question means they can claim it to be a game of skill?

I think I heard that somewhere … 🙂

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**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2000, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-aptitude-testfor-prize-claim/7679/3 "2000-02-21T17:03:00Z")

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They probably ask you to answer the question: What is 1+1?

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**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-aptitude-testfor-prize-claim/7679/4 "2001-02-11T16:13:38Z")

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In Canada, games of chance are not illegal. However, they may only be carried out by government-sponsored corporations such as the Regie des Alcools, des Courses et des Jeux or the Onntaio Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Otherwise, an element of skill must be integral to the game. (Of course, the law varies by province).

So, cereal-box and fast-food competitions must have skill-testing questions or the like.