The Decimal in the Report
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Marguerite catches a costly decimal-point error in a client report just minutes before it is due to be sent.
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Marguerite finished a budget report for a big client. The report showed the cost of a new project. She read through it one last time.
Something looked strange in the second table. A cost showed $45,000 instead of $4,500. A decimal point was in the wrong place.
Marguerite checked her original numbers again. The correct cost was clearly $4,500. She moved the decimal by mistake.
The report was due to the client in ten minutes. Marguerite's heart beat fast. She opened the file and fixed the number.
She checked every other number on the page. All the other numbers looked correct. She saved the file and took a breath.
She sent the report right on time. Her manager walked by a few minutes later. "Did you send the report on time?" he asked.
"Yes, I caught one small mistake first," Marguerite said. "I fixed a decimal point before sending it."
"Good work," her manager said. "That kind of thing happens to everyone."
Marguerite smiled and opened her next task. She decided to always check decimals twice.
