Careful: Stapling Paper Is Haxardous to your Health!

Sometimes statistical facts arise that are hard to believe. Thus, while sharing some fascinating facts with you, I will "spoil" the experience with a follow-up mathematical task.

For a diverse range of activities, the following are the number of U.S. injuries per year:

• Brushing your teeth or gargling (3,925)
• Reading (11,243)
• Barbecuing (15,952)
• Stapling paper (15,974)
• Bowling (17,916)
• Riding a stationary bike (43,117)
• Bicycling (534,883)
• Driving (2,788,000)

Wow....how do you injure yourself while reading...and almost 16000 people injure themselves using a stapler?

No wonder people have trouble learning mathematics! And, my wandering mind wonders: do more people injure themselves using a calculator that those who used to use slide rules?

Source: AARP, July/August 2006, p. 74