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Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Point Nine
The gas station next to the Watergate has regular gas at $4.99.9 a gallon. I wonder how the whole point nine thing started in gasoline pricing.
Actually, if you look back at photos of early gas stations, you will see that the decimal cents were something other than 0.9 in the 1910s and 20s. But the per gallon cost was much lower, 10 to 20 cents/gallon, so it made more sense to do this, as the station owners could shave a few tenths off to be lower than their competitors. By the late 30s, though, it settled in at 0.9, where it has been ever since.
4.99 sounds smaller than 5
ReplyDeleteActually, if you look back at photos of early gas stations, you will see that the decimal cents were something other than 0.9 in the 1910s and 20s. But the per gallon cost was much lower, 10 to 20 cents/gallon, so it made more sense to do this, as the station owners could shave a few tenths off to be lower than their competitors. By the late 30s, though, it settled in at 0.9, where it has been ever since.
ReplyDelete