I take a number of vitamins and over-the-counter medicines.
At the end of the year, I get an accounting of all the prescription medicines I have taken and their cost, but I have to figure out the cost of the over-the-counter medicines myself. I give these figures to my accountant (Cindy, M.B.A.) and she uses them to figure part of my income tax form.
I take one per day of the following medicines:
Aspirin, 81 milligrams
Multivitamin
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Flaxseed Oil
I take two per day of the following medicines:
Glucosamine-chondroitin complex
Fiber Choice
The prices of these pills are:
Aspirin, 500 tablets for $12.99
Multivitamin, 300 for $13.99
Vitamin C, 400 tablets for $5.99
Vitamin E, 400 tablets for $14.99 (the price is higher because the vitamin is packed in a softgel)
Flaxseed oil, 100 for 5.99
Glucosamine-chondroitin complex, 240 pills for $31.05 (remember: 120 day supply)
Fiber Choice, 90 tablets for 9.89 (remember, 45 day supply)
All of these are subject to 7.15% Minneapolis sales tax.
What is the total cost of these medicines for a 365 day year? For example, Flaxseed oil tablets are about 6 cents each, but I need 365 of them.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
What the heck is a kWh?, continued.
United States money is in dollars and cents. But electric bills use decimal fractions of a cent.
When you see a gasoline price, it might be 2.789 . That is two dollars, 7 dimes (tens of cents) and 8 cents. But what is that little nine? It is nine mils, each mil is a tenth of a cent. On a gasoline price, it is there to fool people, the real price is rounded to the nearest cent, and is really $2.79.
But, electricity prices might be $0.067550 for one kWh (kilowatt hour). That is 6 cents, 7 mills, 5 hundredths of a cent and 5 thousandths of a cent. The price is worked out before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) of each state. The utility, such as Xcel Energy, requests a rate and the PUC either accepts it or suggests a lower rate. Eventually, a decision is made.
In Minnesota, the summer rate (about 6 cents and 8 mils) is higher than the winter rate (about 5 cents and 8 mils). The reason: supply and demand. In Minnesota, winter demand is only 3/4 of summer demand.
If you multiply summer use by summer rate and winter use by winter rate and round each to the nearest cent, you get $11.46 and $20.69; add these to get $32.15 .
Even if I used no electricity at all, Xcel would need to keep up the wires and equipment to supply me. They charge me $6 per month as my share of this upkeep; it is called "Basic Service Charge."
I used 526 kWh during the month. They charge me $0.020798 (about 2 cents and 1 mil) extra for this, calling it a "Fuel Cost Charge." Presumably, Xcel negotiated this charge with the PUC to cover increases in the cost of fuel. It adds $10.94 to my bill.
On the same 526 kWh, they charge $0.0021 for an "Environment Improvement Rider." My bill does not explain this charge, which is about 2 mils per kWh. It adds $1.11 to my bill. If I find out more about it, I will post an explanation to this blog.
Finally, there is a "Resource Adjustment" of $1.11 . Believe it or not, this is a charge to cover telling me to conserve energy by using fluorescent lamps, etc. The Legislature requires Xcel to tell me this, Xcel does so, then charges me for telling me. Every year, the Legislature approves this procedure.
The sum of all this is $51.30. The state of Minnesota then charges 6% sales tax and when the tax is added, that is my total bill. There are seven (7) separate charges on my bill.
When you see a gasoline price, it might be 2.789 . That is two dollars, 7 dimes (tens of cents) and 8 cents. But what is that little nine? It is nine mils, each mil is a tenth of a cent. On a gasoline price, it is there to fool people, the real price is rounded to the nearest cent, and is really $2.79.
But, electricity prices might be $0.067550 for one kWh (kilowatt hour). That is 6 cents, 7 mills, 5 hundredths of a cent and 5 thousandths of a cent. The price is worked out before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) of each state. The utility, such as Xcel Energy, requests a rate and the PUC either accepts it or suggests a lower rate. Eventually, a decision is made.
In Minnesota, the summer rate (about 6 cents and 8 mils) is higher than the winter rate (about 5 cents and 8 mils). The reason: supply and demand. In Minnesota, winter demand is only 3/4 of summer demand.
If you multiply summer use by summer rate and winter use by winter rate and round each to the nearest cent, you get $11.46 and $20.69; add these to get $32.15 .
Even if I used no electricity at all, Xcel would need to keep up the wires and equipment to supply me. They charge me $6 per month as my share of this upkeep; it is called "Basic Service Charge."
I used 526 kWh during the month. They charge me $0.020798 (about 2 cents and 1 mil) extra for this, calling it a "Fuel Cost Charge." Presumably, Xcel negotiated this charge with the PUC to cover increases in the cost of fuel. It adds $10.94 to my bill.
On the same 526 kWh, they charge $0.0021 for an "Environment Improvement Rider." My bill does not explain this charge, which is about 2 mils per kWh. It adds $1.11 to my bill. If I find out more about it, I will post an explanation to this blog.
Finally, there is a "Resource Adjustment" of $1.11 . Believe it or not, this is a charge to cover telling me to conserve energy by using fluorescent lamps, etc. The Legislature requires Xcel to tell me this, Xcel does so, then charges me for telling me. Every year, the Legislature approves this procedure.
The sum of all this is $51.30. The state of Minnesota then charges 6% sales tax and when the tax is added, that is my total bill. There are seven (7) separate charges on my bill.
About a comet and magnitudes
The story of my electric bill will be continued in the next posting.
This is about a comet. The math has to do with exponents and powers. If you haven't yet learned about exponents and powers (you will), ask a teacher or post a comment. Part of a news story follows:
In terms of actual measured brightness, 17P has moved from a magnitude of 17, which is visible only through a large telescope, to somewhere just above magnitude 2. That's an increase of about 1 million times, Herbst said, and it makes the comet visible to the naked eye even in urban settings where the night sky is obscured by man-made light.
If B is brightness and M is magnitude, B = (base)^-M ; B is (base) to the minus M power. The number (base) is defined by (base)^5 = 100. The number (base) is about 2.511. Since the magnitude changed from 17 to about 2, a change of about 15, and 15/5 = 3, the brightness increased by 100 cubed, or 100 x 100 x 100, or about 1 million. All the "abouts" in the last sentence are because different observers have made different estimates of the brightness now. They think it is about 2nd magnitude; they are comparing it to other stars. Stars of first magnitude are bright, stars of 2nd magnitude less bright, stars of 3rd magnitude still less bright, and so on.
The comet was first seen on November 6 1892. It comes near Earth every 6.88 years. When did it last come near Earth (and nobody payed attention since it was 17th magnitude)? When will it next come near Earth?
This is the whole news story:
This is about a comet. The math has to do with exponents and powers. If you haven't yet learned about exponents and powers (you will), ask a teacher or post a comment. Part of a news story follows:
In terms of actual measured brightness, 17P has moved from a magnitude of 17, which is visible only through a large telescope, to somewhere just above magnitude 2. That's an increase of about 1 million times, Herbst said, and it makes the comet visible to the naked eye even in urban settings where the night sky is obscured by man-made light.
If B is brightness and M is magnitude, B = (base)^-M ; B is (base) to the minus M power. The number (base) is defined by (base)^5 = 100. The number (base) is about 2.511. Since the magnitude changed from 17 to about 2, a change of about 15, and 15/5 = 3, the brightness increased by 100 cubed, or 100 x 100 x 100, or about 1 million. All the "abouts" in the last sentence are because different observers have made different estimates of the brightness now. They think it is about 2nd magnitude; they are comparing it to other stars. Stars of first magnitude are bright, stars of 2nd magnitude less bright, stars of 3rd magnitude still less bright, and so on.
The comet was first seen on November 6 1892. It comes near Earth every 6.88 years. When did it last come near Earth (and nobody payed attention since it was 17th magnitude)? When will it next come near Earth?
This is the whole news story:
dailypress.com/news/dp-news_cometholmes_1105nov05,0,5662681.story?coll=dp-wid
dailypress.com
Stargazers aglow over comet's stunning visit
A usually dull passer-by named Holmes has local astronomers staying up late to get a celestial eyeful.
By MARK ST. JOHN ERICKSON | 247-4783
November 5, 2007
For more than a century, the comet known as 17P/Holmes has been too shy to shine. It would slip past Earth every seven years with a light so dim, the naked eye couldn't see it. Even astronomers largely ignored its fainter-than-faint, reliably uneventful visits.
But when an observer in the Canary Islands looked up into the northeast sky early on the morning of Oct. 24, an object where the dark comet should have been beamed so brightly that he couldn't explain it. Minutes later, the same strange object was spotted from Barcelona, Spain, by another equally bewildered stargazer.
In less than 24 hours, Comet 17P/Holmes had intensified so much that its once dark mass resembled a star, prompting a rash of excited sightings across the planet. Then — over the following few days — its brightness multiplied by a million times, making it not only visible to the unaided eye but also one of the most prominent objects in the night sky.
"This is the first naked-eye comet since Hale-Bopp in 1997 — so we're really pretty excited," said astronomy curator Kelly Ann Herbst of the Virginia Living Museum.
"Even without binoculars, you can see that this is a pretty big thing. It's immediately visible. And with a telescope, you can see not only the nucleus but also the details of the coma — this beautiful halo that ripples and changes over time."
Often referred to by astronomers as "17P" or "Comet Holmes," the celestial object's sudden outburst during the past couple of weeks echoes almost exactly its discovery on Nov. 6, 1892. Scanning the night sky, amateur English astronomer Edwin Holmes was so startled by its unexpected appearance that he scared his wife, who heard his exclamation from the next room.
After fading somewhat in the weeks that followed, the comet erupted again on Jan. 16. Not long afterward, it fell off the radar screen almost completely until flaring up again.
"Just like now, everybody was amazed — and they hoped to see it again," Herbst said. "But nobody could find it when they thought it should be coming around. This is only the second time the comet has had a period of outburst like this."
In terms of actual measured brightness, 17P has moved from a magnitude of 17, which is visible only through a large telescope, to somewhere just above magnitude 2. That's an increase of about 1 million times, Herbst said, and it makes the comet visible to the naked eye even in urban settings where the night sky is obscured by man-made light.
The comet also appears much bigger than it normally does, vaulting from imperceptible at first to the same size as Jupiter. In recent days, it's surpassed the giant planet, too, giving Herbst and many other night observers in the local area something totally unexpected to see.
Lawrence Taylor, a NASA Langley atmospheric scientist who's a member of the Virginia Peninsula Astronomy/Stargazers group, could barely wait for the trick-or-treaters to leave his Hampton home Halloween night so he could take a quick peek into the heavens.
So impressive was the sight that he ended up staying outside until 1 a.m. — all the while shuttling larger and better pieces of equipment out into his yard.
"I was just going to take a quick look with the binoculars, but then I saw this huge thing — a great big fuzzy ball," he said. "The fact that you could see it with the naked eye — even with a quarter moon — is pretty amazing. It's just awesome — and it could be up there a couple of weeks."
Just how long 17P's surprising outburst will last remains to be determined. But right now, its unexpected behavior can be seen not long after dusk — and at an unusually favorable time of the lunar cycle.
"The moon is waning now, so we'll have some really dark nights to see the sun reflecting off its dust," Herbst says. "It's really just perfect."
Both the Living Museum and the Peninsula Stargazers plan to stage numerous public observing sessions over the next few weeks, including such relatively dark and undisturbed viewing locations as York River State Park in James City County and Grundland Park in the Grandview section of Hampton.
But even in Newport News, where Herbst has been following Comet Holmes with the museum's big 16-inch-diameter telescope, the sight of the large golden ball rising in the northeast sky has been compelling.
"You can't see the tail because it's extended out behind it. But it's still really quite spectacular," Herbst said. "It has this huge envelope of dust and gas surrounding the nucleus — and it's so big that it almost fills the field of vision on our largest telescope."
Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press
Monday, October 29, 2007
What the heck is a kWh?
My electric bill is at the bottom so you wont have to go back and forth.
A Watt (named after James Watt, steam engine pioneer) measures power. Think of a 100 Watt light bulb. Think of 10 100 watt light bulbs burning at the same time in my condo. Those 10 bulbs are together using 1000 watts and someplace, a machine must be producing 1000 watts of power to supply them. The light bulbs turn 1000 Watts of power into heat and light; 1000 Watts is called a kilowatt, or kW. If I leave the bulbs on for an hour, I use a kilowatt-hour, or kWh. A kWh is the commercial unit of energy. We pay for energy, usually 1 kWh costs some cents, 2 cents to 10 cents depending on where you are in the USA.
I takes roughly one kilowatt to run a residence, more for a large air-conditioned place and less for a small apartment. My bill tells me I used 17.0 kWh on a typical 24-hour day during the 31 days covered by the bill. My power needs were less than a kilowatt, 7/10 in fact. My residence is a 1500 square foot condominium apartment. During the same period last year, I used 19.8 kWh on a typical 24-hour day. I probably saved energy by installing more compact fluorescent bulbs. I use hardly any incandescent or halogen bulbs any more.
Next post: what are all those different charges? Here is the bill again:
Residential Service 31 Days
Basic Service Charge $6.00
Energy Charge Summer 169.68 kWh @$0.067550 $11.46
Energy Charge Winter 356.32 kWh @$0.058070 $20.69
Environmt Imprvment Rider 526 kWh @$0.002100 $1.10
Fuel Cost Charge 526.00kWh @$0.0207898 $10.94
Resource Adjustment $1.11
Subtotal $51.30
State Tax @6.50% $3.33
Total Amount $54.63
A Watt (named after James Watt, steam engine pioneer) measures power. Think of a 100 Watt light bulb. Think of 10 100 watt light bulbs burning at the same time in my condo. Those 10 bulbs are together using 1000 watts and someplace, a machine must be producing 1000 watts of power to supply them. The light bulbs turn 1000 Watts of power into heat and light; 1000 Watts is called a kilowatt, or kW. If I leave the bulbs on for an hour, I use a kilowatt-hour, or kWh. A kWh is the commercial unit of energy. We pay for energy, usually 1 kWh costs some cents, 2 cents to 10 cents depending on where you are in the USA.
I takes roughly one kilowatt to run a residence, more for a large air-conditioned place and less for a small apartment. My bill tells me I used 17.0 kWh on a typical 24-hour day during the 31 days covered by the bill. My power needs were less than a kilowatt, 7/10 in fact. My residence is a 1500 square foot condominium apartment. During the same period last year, I used 19.8 kWh on a typical 24-hour day. I probably saved energy by installing more compact fluorescent bulbs. I use hardly any incandescent or halogen bulbs any more.
Next post: what are all those different charges? Here is the bill again:
Residential Service 31 Days
Basic Service Charge $6.00
Energy Charge Summer 169.68 kWh @$0.067550 $11.46
Energy Charge Winter 356.32 kWh @$0.058070 $20.69
Environmt Imprvment Rider 526 kWh @$0.002100 $1.10
Fuel Cost Charge 526.00kWh @$0.0207898 $10.94
Resource Adjustment $1.11
Subtotal $51.30
State Tax @6.50% $3.33
Total Amount $54.63
My Latest Electric Bill; what the heck is a kWh?
I got my latest electric bill from September 20 2007 to October 21 2007. It was $54.63 for 31 days. This bill is so complicated that I will take a few posts to explain it.
Here is the bill:
Residential Service 31 Days
Basic Service Charge $6.00
Energy Charge Summer 169.68 kWh @$0.067550 $11.46
Energy Charge Winter 356.32 kWh @$0.058070 $20.69
Environmt Imprvment Rider 526 kWh @$0.002100 $1.10
Fuel Cost Charge 526.00kWh @$0.0207898 $10.94
Resource Adjustment $1.11
Subtotal $51.30
State Tax @6.50% $3.33
Total Amount $54.63
The arithmetic is always correct but you can check a few things: I used about 170 kWh and was charged about 7 cents for each kWh.
I used another 356 kWh and was charged about 6 cents for each additional kWh. The sum of 169.68 and 356.32 is 526 kWh exactly. I was charged another 2/10 of a cent times that much for an "environmental improvement rider" which added a dollar to my bill. I was charged about 2 cents for each of the 526 kWh for a "Fuel Cost Charge" (which added about $11) and then $1.11 "Resource Adjustment."
This all added up to $51.30 and then 6.5% Minnesota sales tax was added. What is a kWh? Explanation in next blog entry.
Here is the bill:
Residential Service 31 Days
Basic Service Charge $6.00
Energy Charge Summer 169.68 kWh @$0.067550 $11.46
Energy Charge Winter 356.32 kWh @$0.058070 $20.69
Environmt Imprvment Rider 526 kWh @$0.002100 $1.10
Fuel Cost Charge 526.00kWh @$0.0207898 $10.94
Resource Adjustment $1.11
Subtotal $51.30
State Tax @6.50% $3.33
Total Amount $54.63
The arithmetic is always correct but you can check a few things: I used about 170 kWh and was charged about 7 cents for each kWh.
I used another 356 kWh and was charged about 6 cents for each additional kWh. The sum of 169.68 and 356.32 is 526 kWh exactly. I was charged another 2/10 of a cent times that much for an "environmental improvement rider" which added a dollar to my bill. I was charged about 2 cents for each of the 526 kWh for a "Fuel Cost Charge" (which added about $11) and then $1.11 "Resource Adjustment."
This all added up to $51.30 and then 6.5% Minnesota sales tax was added. What is a kWh? Explanation in next blog entry.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Take a Taxi from University of Minnesota to South High
In the Twin Cities, taxis work like this. The driver drops the flag to start the meter. A charge of $2.50 immediately shows on the meter. Then, each additional mile costs $1.90. In fact, if you go a fraction of a mile, there is a charge (more research needed). For this problem we will use whole miles. Note added Friday November 9 2oo7: I did the research (looked at the side of a taxi). Every 1/5 of a mile, the meter increases by 38 cents.
My granddaughter is a Senior at South High but takes some courses at the University of Minnesota. Usually she takes the bus (Metro Transit). But sometimes, time is short and I want her to take a taxi in that case. The distance from University of Minnesota (Wilson Library) to South High is three miles.
How much should I give her to pay for a three-mile trip including a 20% tip?
My granddaughter is a Senior at South High but takes some courses at the University of Minnesota. Usually she takes the bus (Metro Transit). But sometimes, time is short and I want her to take a taxi in that case. The distance from University of Minnesota (Wilson Library) to South High is three miles.
How much should I give her to pay for a three-mile trip including a 20% tip?
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Prius Gas Mileage; October 2007
The dashboard display on my Prius hybrid shows that I have gone 375 miles since my last fillup and that the average performance has been 46.1 miles per gallon.
How many gallons of gasoline do I expect to need if I fill up now?
Gasoline today is $2.799 per gallon. How much do I expect to pay?
How many gallons of gasoline do I expect to need if I fill up now?
Gasoline today is $2.799 per gallon. How much do I expect to pay?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Borders vs. Amazon, notes on rounding
To get results to nearest penny, you need to consider how rounding is done.
In Borders, they calculate the discount, round it, then subtract from original price. Then they figure tax on the discounted price (original minus discount) and round that, then add.
This procedure may make a difference of one penny compared to other procedures.
Hint: Borders is the best deal. It isn't even close.
In Borders, they calculate the discount, round it, then subtract from original price. Then they figure tax on the discounted price (original minus discount) and round that, then add.
This procedure may make a difference of one penny compared to other procedures.
Hint: Borders is the best deal. It isn't even close.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Amazon vs. Borders
There is a new book called: Math Doesn't Suck; how to survive middle school math.
I have two choices; I can buy it at Borders in Saint Paul for the list price of $23.95 and use a 30% off discount coupon. If I do that, I will have to pay 7% sales tax .
Alternatively, I can buy it on line from Amazon.com for $14.37 but will have to pay $3.99 shipping but no sales tax.
Which is the best deal and how much do I save by taking it?
In Minnesota, the discount is applied first and the tax is computed on the discounted price.
I have two choices; I can buy it at Borders in Saint Paul for the list price of $23.95 and use a 30% off discount coupon. If I do that, I will have to pay 7% sales tax .
Alternatively, I can buy it on line from Amazon.com for $14.37 but will have to pay $3.99 shipping but no sales tax.
Which is the best deal and how much do I save by taking it?
In Minnesota, the discount is applied first and the tax is computed on the discounted price.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Luxury taxes
In Minneapolis, some luxuries are taxed at a high percentage. For example, on some items the tax is 8 1/8% ("8 and one eighth percent"). What is the total price of a $16 item when tax is added?
Hint: convert 1/8 to a decimal. Add to 8. Then proceed as usual.
Hint: convert 1/8 to a decimal. Add to 8. Then proceed as usual.
Senior discount
I was at the Lakewinds co-op on the 11th of September 2007. My food bill was $13.50. There was no tax. I was offered a 5% senior discount. What was my bill, after the discount?
Note: the discount is calculated, then rounded.
Note: the discount is calculated, then rounded.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Shopping at the Seward Co-op
On September 9 2007 I bought a sandwich at the Seward Co-op for $4.99 and a can of soup for $3.39. In Minneapolis, sandwiches are taxed at 7.15% and canned soup is not taxed.
What was my total bill? How much change did I get from a $10 bill.
What was my total bill? How much change did I get from a $10 bill.
Shopping in St. Paul MN
On September 10, 2007 I bought a pencil sharpener for $1.29 and a calculator for $1. Sales tax in St. Paul is 7% rounded to the nearest cent. What was my total cost? I gave the clerk a ten dollar bill, a quarter and two dimes. How much change did I get?
Shopping in Vail, Colorado
Back on June 30, 2007 I bought an egg poacher in Vail, Colorado.
The price was $17.99. Tax in Vail is 4.422%, tax is rounded to the nearest cent. There was an additional tax of 9 cents; this is a surcharge added to maintain shopping centers.
What was my total bill?
The price was $17.99. Tax in Vail is 4.422%, tax is rounded to the nearest cent. There was an additional tax of 9 cents; this is a surcharge added to maintain shopping centers.
What was my total bill?
Grocery shopping in Eagan, MN
On September 5 2007 I went shopping in Eagan, Mn.
I bought a bottle of Shout detergent for $2.89. This was taxable. Sales tax in Eagan is 6.5%. Tax is rounded to the nearest cent. In addition, I bought the following untaxed items.
4 containers of yogurt, regular price $1.18 each, 6 cents off.
1 container of yogurt, regular price $1.18 each, 10 cents off.
2 half-gallons of milk, $4.09 each.
1 package of sliced cheese, $3.19
1 gallon of orange juice, $6.99
1 container of cottage cheese, $4.85
What was the tax? What was the total bill, including tax? How much did I save by buying the sales items?
I bought a bottle of Shout detergent for $2.89. This was taxable. Sales tax in Eagan is 6.5%. Tax is rounded to the nearest cent. In addition, I bought the following untaxed items.
4 containers of yogurt, regular price $1.18 each, 6 cents off.
1 container of yogurt, regular price $1.18 each, 10 cents off.
2 half-gallons of milk, $4.09 each.
1 package of sliced cheese, $3.19
1 gallon of orange juice, $6.99
1 container of cottage cheese, $4.85
What was the tax? What was the total bill, including tax? How much did I save by buying the sales items?
Beginning Virtual Shopping
It is considered a good idea for parents to take their children shopping, and let the children do the arithmetic. Sometimes this is difficult, so this blog attempts to take the place of real shopping trips. All examples are real:
Minneapolis sales tax:
On September 13, 2007 I bought a magazine for $4.99 in Minneapolis, MN. Sales tax in Minneapolis is 7.15%, the extra 0.15% is supposed to go to the new Twins stadium.
Tax is rounded to the nearest 1 cent.
What was the tax? What was the price, including tax?
How much, if any, went to the Twins stadium?
Minneapolis sales tax:
On September 13, 2007 I bought a magazine for $4.99 in Minneapolis, MN. Sales tax in Minneapolis is 7.15%, the extra 0.15% is supposed to go to the new Twins stadium.
Tax is rounded to the nearest 1 cent.
What was the tax? What was the price, including tax?
How much, if any, went to the Twins stadium?
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