First, an apology to Aryabhatta. The father of Indian mathematics developed the idea of zero in our place-value system, worked out the approximation of pi, did early trig and algebra. But he'd be lost about girl math, boy math. Let's clue him (and you) in.
In August 2023, TikTok user Samantha Jane (@samjamessssss) asked her followers for examples of Girl Math, their personal everyday calculations that justify spending behaviour. "[If I] return something at Zara for $50 [and] bought something else for $100, it only cost me $50," Jane explained. Users caught on immediately: Girl Math is preloading a Starbucks card so coffee is free. Girl Math is placing a bigger order just to get free shipping.
Men joined in with Boy Math. Carrying one pair of jeans and four T-shirts for a week-long trip, believing that 5'9 is 5'11 with shoes on (which is basically 6', right?), or grumbling that women are gold diggers even when some men have barely three pairs of socks to their name.
Now, there's no going back. Pet-parent Math is thinking that getting a second dog is cheaper because you already have the shampoo, bowls and food supply for the first one. Laundry Math is realising you have half a washing load and deciding it's sheet-washing time. We got creators, actors, musicians, chefs and artists to share their little lifecalculations. Turns out, we're all the same inside.
Piyush Khati, 27, actor
Sale Math. "I'm quite certain of what I want vs what I need. I only give in when it's sneakers," he says. Khati figures that if one pair of sneakers is at full price and the second is 50% off, they're both on sale. Bonus points if there's a card discount. "I will try every discount or coupon code I can. If there's even a little margin for bargaining, I will do it."
This story is from the January 20, 2024 edition of Brunch.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 20, 2024 edition of Brunch.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Hitting the wrong note
Even hitmakers can have epic fails. Here are 10 bands that named themselves in haste, only to repent at leisure
A walk to remember
As India celebrates 25 years of Fashion Week, here's your front-row seat to the first edition, in 2000. The models, the designs, the gossip, the backstage drama, and those after-parties!
Before the tea gets cold
Sudhir Patwardhan's paintings show a Mumbai that viewers may find familiar. But look closer. The details tell new tales, trigger universal questions
Who's the third world now?
There was a time when Egypt or Lagos were considered lawless lands. Now one has to be on guard in London and Paris
Spice routes and detours
More and more countries are discovering that packaged Indian spices are contaminated. Back home, they're so convenient and trusted, we didn't think to look closer. It's time to rework this recipe
Murder, she rewrote
What's better than a woman detective? A team of two. New shows and films are making the most of the partnership, giving crime drama and comedy an edge
What broth this on?
Hopeless ramentic? Slurp up this guide and order the best bowl, every time
Unconventional habits
There's so much more to nuns and convent education than what shows up on screen. Why do the cliches persist?
Photos or pulp fictions?
Gauri Gill's portraits showcase ordinary folks, doing ordinary things, but wearing extraordinary masks. See why the quirky series offers more than what meets the eye
Hear it from a reliable sauce
Kikkoman launched a dark soya sauce for the Indian market after realising that Indians expect Chinese and pan-Asian dishes to have a rich, dark colour. It mimics the taste profile of the flagship Kikkoman soya but has a different colour.
