--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most unsuccessful three years in the…" description: "\"The most unsuccessful three years in the education of cost estimators appears to be fifth-grade arithmetic.\" — Norman Ralph Augustine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92c/norman-ralph-augustine-10805_arithmetic_the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the_276229.png" --- # The most unsuccessful three years in the education of cost… ![“The most unsuccessful three years in the education of cost estimators appears to be fifth-grade arithmetic.” quote by Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92c/norman-ralph-augustine-10805_arithmetic_the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the_276229.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92c/norman-ralph-augustine-10805_arithmetic_the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the_276229.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92c/norman-ralph-augustine-10805_arithmetic_the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the_276229.png) > “The most unsuccessful three years in the education of cost estimators appears to be fifth-grade arithmetic.” [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early education in arithmetic fails to prepare cost estimators for complex real‑world calculations. **In simple terms:** Basic math isn’t enough for cost estimating. Key Takeaway Invest in advanced, practical training. Themes education skill development cost estimation Mood critical reflective Type analytical instructional When to use this quote - construction budgeting - software cost planning - manufacturing pricing - government contracts Key Concepts project management quantitative analysis Questions to Reflect On - How can curricula bridge basic math and professional estimating? - What practical tools aid estimator training? A Different Perspective Advanced topics may be costly and time‑consuming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arithmetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arithmetic/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Fifth grade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fifth-grade/) ## Related quotes > [Behind Every Successful Man There A Lot Of Unsuccessful Years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-brown/behind-every-successful-man-there-a-lot-of-unsuccessful-years/) [Bob Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-brown/) > [Behind every successful man there are usually a lot of unsuccessful years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anas/behind-every-successful-man-there-are-usually-a-lot-of-unsuccessful/) [Anas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anas/) > [The notion that college education is a cost-effective way to help poor, low-skill, unmarried mothers with high school diplomas or GEDs move up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/the-notion-that-college-education-is-a-cost-effective-way-to-help/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [No man can instruct more than half-a-dozen students at once. The whole problem of education is one of its cost in money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/no-man-can-instruct-more-than-half-a-dozen-students-at-once-the-whole/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Education cost money, but then so does ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/education-cost-money-but-then-so-does-ignorance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As countries embrace mass higher education, the cost of maintaining universities increases dramatically relative to an elite system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/as-countries-embrace-mass-higher-education-the-cost-of-maintaining/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [Matt Bonner. That's the legend right there. I was in fifth grade and watched him play at our local high school. Sold out. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/matt-bonner-that-s-the-legend-right-there-i-was-in-fifth-grade-and/) [Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/) > [I remember when I was in the fifth grade - I was like, 'I want out of this. I want to do home-schooling. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-mclaughlin/i-remember-when-i-was-in-the-fifth-grade-i-was-like-i-want-out-of/) [Caleb McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-mclaughlin/) > [I wrote a song at age five about algae on the pond by our house, then the next 'real' song was in fifth grade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-salpeter/i-wrote-a-song-at-age-five-about-algae-on-the-pond-by-our-house-then/) [Greta Salpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-salpeter/) > [If you're prepared to invest in a company, then you ought to be able to explain why in simple language that a fifth grader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/if-you-re-prepared-to-invest-in-a-company-then-you-ought-to-be-able/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [I got into therapy in the fifth grade because I said in a sarcastic way that I was going to kill myself, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-got-into-therapy-in-the-fifth-grade-because-i-said-in-a-sarcastic/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [I've been home-schooled since I was in the fifth grade, mainly because I had two brothers who were acting. We were from Kansas but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-schmidt/i-ve-been-home-schooled-since-i-was-in-the-fifth-grade-mainly-because/) [Kevin Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-schmidt/) > [I stumbled upon Charles White purely by chance while looking through a book 'Great Negroes, Past and Present' in the library at Forty-Ninth Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-stumbled-upon-charles-white-purely-by-chance-while-looking-through/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [You can go as far back as fifth grade, and you will find me tinkering with media and computers, making things that are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sloan/you-can-go-as-far-back-as-fifth-grade-and-you-will-find-me-tinkering/) [Robin Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sloan/) > [Everybody either wanted to take care of me or push me around, you know? I was teased a lot, sure I was, of course.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/everybody-either-wanted-to-take-care-of-me-or-push-me-around-you-know/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) ## More by Norman Ralph Augustine > [Regulations grow at the same rate as weeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/regulations-grow-at-the-same-rate-as-weeds/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [By the time of the United States Tricentennial, there will be more government workers than there are workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/by-the-time-of-the-united-states-tricentennial-there-will-be-more/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [Law Number XXXIX: Never promise to complete any project within six months of the end of the year, in either direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/law-number-xxxix-never-promise-to-complete-any-project-within-six/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [Law Number XIV: After the year 2015, there will be no airplane crashes. There will be no takeoffs either, because electronics will occupy 100…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/law-number-xiv-after-the-year-2015-there-will-be-no-airplane-crashes/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [If the Earth could be made to rotate twice as fast, managers would get twice as much done. If the Earth could be made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/if-the-earth-could-be-made-to-rotate-twice-as-fast-managers-would-get/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [People working in the private sector should try to save money. There remains the possibility that it may someday be valuable again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/people-working-in-the-private-sector-should-try-to-save-money-there/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [Software is like entropy. It is difficult to grasp, weighs nothing, and obeys the second law of thermodynamics; i.e. it always increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/software-is-like-entropy-it-is-difficult-to-grasp-weighs-nothing-and/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [Rank does not intimidate hardware. Neither does the lack of rank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/rank-does-not-intimidate-hardware-neither-does-the-lack-of-rank/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [By the time the people asking the questions are ready for the answers, the people doing the work have lost track of the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/by-the-time-the-people-asking-the-questions-are-ready-for-the-answers/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [All too many consultants, when asked, 'What is 2 and 2?' respond, 'What do you have in mind?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/all-too-many-consultants-when-asked-what-is-2-and-2-respond-what-do/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [Law Number XXVIII: It is better to be the reorganizer than the reorganizee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/law-number-xxviii-it-is-better-to-be-the-reorganizer-than-the/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [If you can afford to advertise, you don't need to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/if-you-can-afford-to-advertise-you-don-t-need-to/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [For every scientific (or engineering) action, there is an equal and opposite social reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/for-every-scientific-or-engineering-action-there-is-an-equal-and/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [A billion saved is a billion earned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/a-billion-saved-is-a-billion-earned/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [Any task can be completed in only one-third more time than is currently estimated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/any-task-can-be-completed-in-only-one-third-more-time-than-is/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) [Explore all 63 Norman Ralph Augustine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) ## More Arithmetic quotes > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/arithmetic-is-numbers-you-squeeze-from-your-head-to-your-hand-to-your/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I am pretty good at arithmetic, and I know that the fight in front of us is a very, very steep fight. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-am-pretty-good-at-arithmetic-and-i-know-that-the-fight-in-front-of/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [Arithmetic has began to totter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottlob-frege/arithmetic-has-began-to-totter/) [Gottlob Frege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottlob-frege/) > [Economics is half psychology and half Grade Three arithmetic, and the U.S. does not now have either half right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/economics-is-half-psychology-and-half-grade-three-arithmetic-and-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [The cumulative weight of all mortal sins--past, present, and future--pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive Soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-cumulative-weight-of-all-mortal-sins-past-present-and-future/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Geometry, like arithmetic, requires for its logical development only a small number of simple, fundamental principles. These fundamental principles are called the axioms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-like-arithmetic-requires-for-its-logical-development-only-a/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [When I was at school, I was terrible at algebra and arithmetic, but I was always the best at English and literature. And acting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/when-i-was-at-school-i-was-terrible-at-algebra-and-arithmetic-but-i/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [“A goal of this book has been to tear down in some small part these barriers to understanding by attempting to shatter the “divinity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-arnell-williams/a-goal-of-this-book-has-been-to-tear-down-in-some-small-part-these/) [G. Arnell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-arnell-williams/) > [Man is a rational animal—so at least I have been told. … Aristotle, so far as I know, was the first man to proclaim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-have-been-told-aristotle-so/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The mortal enemies of Social Security and Medicare are those who, in contempt of the plain arithmetic, continue to mislead Americans that we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/the-mortal-enemies-of-social-security-and-medicare-are-those-who-in/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/) > [Arithmetic arithmetock Turn the hands back on the clock How does the ocean rock the boat? How did the razor find my throat? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/arithmetic-arithmetock-turn-the-hands-back-on-the-clock-how-does-the/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Long before I learned to do a sum in arithmetic or describe the shape of the earth, Miss Sullivan had taught me to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/long-before-i-learned-to-do-a-sum-in-arithmetic-or-describe-the-shape/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Arithmetic starts with the integers and proceeds by successively enlarging the number system by rational and negative numbers, irrational numbers, etc... But the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-robinson/arithmetic-starts-with-the-integers-and-proceeds-by-successively/) [Abraham Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-robinson/) > [The loony legacy of money was that the arithmetic by which things were measured had become more valuable than the things themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-loony-legacy-of-money-was-that-the-arithmetic-by-which-things/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Browse all 233 Arithmetic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arithmetic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most unsuccessful three years in the education of cost estimators appears to be fifth-grade arithmetic.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Ralph Augustine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the-education-of-cost-estimators/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arithmetic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the-education-of-cost-estimators/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92c/norman-ralph-augustine-10805_arithmetic_the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the_276229.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92c/norman-ralph-augustine-10805_arithmetic_the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the_276229.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92c/norman-ralph-augustine-10805_arithmetic_the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the_276229.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most unsuccessful three years in the education of cost estimators appears to be fifth-grade arithmetic.” — Norman Ralph Augustine", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Norman Ralph Augustine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The most unsuccessful three years in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the-education-of-cost-estimators/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/the-most-unsuccessful-three-years-in-the-education-of-cost-estimators/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```