Let's assume a simple four function calculator. Show 'em how to add, subtract, multiply and divide. For really young children see if they understand what these functions mean in the real world. Add they probably know. As in I have two baskets of apples. How many apples do I have total. Subtract is not too hard, I have a dozen apples. We eat 5 apples, how many are left?
Multiply is a little more abstract. Try this. Each man eats three Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) a day. We are going out on a seven day patrol. There are 29 men in the squad. How many MREs do I draw out from supply?
For divide consider a 40 foot long railroad car, a gondola say. How many shipping containers 8 foot square can I load into the gondola? Then try them on 7 foot shipping containers, which gets into remainders. Then try them on miles per gallon.
Then show 'em how to add up a long column of numbers. You clear the accumulator and punch in the numbers one by one. Hit + after each number. Hit = to add them all up.
Then show them how to take a percent. For extra credit show 'em how to convert a fraction into a decimal.
Get thru all that and you have done something good.
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