Here's an example of multiple items at low numbers - dinner for two at McDonalds. No meals, just ala-carte pricing. Current price in my town: $11.29 - 20-piece nuggets $7.49 - Big Mac - I get the BM and steal a few of her nuggets $7.58 - 2 orders of fries @ $3.79 each $4.38 - 2 Cokes @ $2.19 each $30.74 - Sub-total $1.69 - 5.5% sales tax $32.43 - Total - round the .43¢ up to .45¢ $32.45 Pay with five bills: $20 - One $10 - One $1 - Three Change back three coins: .25¢ - Two .05¢ - One Now, eliminate the hundredths place and set prices to the nearest tenth $11.3 - 20-piece nuggets $7.5 - Big Mac $7.6 - 2 orders of fries @ $3.8 each $4.4 - 2 Cokes @ $2.2 each $30.8 - Sub-total $1.7 - 5.5% sales tax $32.5 - Total, no rounding required, ever Pay with two bills and three coins: $20 bill - One $10 bill - One $1 coins - Three Change back one coin: .5¢ - One (newly designed half just a bit larger than the current nickel) A half-dollar would only be shown as .5, and the dime only .1, no zeroes needed. Cost is .05¢ more, but today all of their pricing ends with 9 so all of the adjustments I made were "up". Easy peasey, and no cents, nickels or quarters were harmed in the making of this example. Even today's high school graduates could follow the math, probably, okay, maybe not.
