- The 11 Ways That Consumers Are Hopeless at Math - The Atlantic --- We don't know what things should cost, so we use cues to tell us what we ought to pay for them. A $200 toaster may look expensive. Put a $400 toaster next to it, and it looks cheap. Mark it down to $199.99 and it looks cheaper http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/07/the-11-ways-that-consumers-are-hopeless-at-math/259479/#.t_ctjybkiok.twitter 78 comments business