# Math question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-question/389435>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 25, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-question/389435 "2007-01-25T18:03:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-question/389435/21 "2007-01-27T06:10:55Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> Of course, it was silly for the guy to think .002 cents per kilobyte could be correct in the first place, but still…

He actually didn’t think it was correct. As he says, in his first call _before_ going to Canada, he thought it sounded odd. He asked the guy to verify that quote and make sure to note it in his account that he asked it to be verified.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-question/389435/22 "2007-01-27T07:09:08Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Mathochist]  
He actually didn’t think it was correct. As he says, in his first call _before_ going to Canada, he thought it sounded odd. He asked the guy to verify that quote and make sure to note it in his account that he asked it to be verified.  
[/QUOTE]

I was aware of all those facts, but I don’t draw the same conclusion from them that you do. It looks to me like he doubted it at first, but after clarifying and verifying, came to believe that he was indeed only going to be charged the smaller amount.

I was wondering, by the way: Wouldn’t there have been something written or printed that he was given, even something he had to sign, which would have made it clear what the charge was going to be?

-Kris

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-question/389435/23 "2007-01-27T17:52:23Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Frylock]  
I was aware of all those facts, but I don’t draw the same conclusion from them that you do. It looks to me like he doubted it at first, but after clarifying and verifying, came to believe that he was indeed only going to be charged the smaller amount.  
[/QUOTE]

That’s how I read it as well. I don’t think it’s silly for someone to believe what he’s been told by a company official, expressed amazement at, asked for careful verification, and been told again.

> [@](#):
>
> I was wondering, by the way: Wouldn’t there have been something written or printed that he was given, even something he had to sign, which would have made it clear what the charge was going to be?

Remember that he wasn’t usually in Canada, and he usually gets this service for free on his plan.

I know when I got my cell phone I didn’t recieve a rate structure applicable outside the United States, if my phone would even work there. Even within the US it’s pretty sketchy, with “coverage area” being such a nebulous term.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-question/389435.md?page=1)