Not that it's high mathematics or difficult but the application of weighted computations is really not taught at the high school level, not being condescending, it's just usually not presented until later on in a formal education in business or engineering or sciences.

What did you do if you did experience accounting numbers that mathematically did not make sense?

And so since I had not properly introduced myself before, here we go:Began as an Electrical Engineering Major, switched to double majoring in Mathematics & Math Education, graduated and taught high school math for a few years, started a family and stayed home.

MarkY,Your location has absolutely nothing to do with the mathematics of operating rental properties.

I have pointed out a couple times that the 50% number is mathematically flawed.

I've always been known as a charismatic people person with a mathematical mind, but I lack most handyman skills.

Thus simplified calculations for a single person are dwarfed mathematically by the addition of a family.  

I just demonstrated mathematically how your suggestion would lose money.

Mathematically it is the following:Income Producing Assets = Annual Expense Budget / ROI on those assetsFor example, if a $75,000 annual expense budget is an amount that will allow you to afford to live the way you want (without being greedy) and your risk tolerance allows you to generate a an annual Return On Investment of 10% without working, the your required Income Producing Assets = $75,000 / 10% = $750,000.Once you know what your Financial Independence Number is, next you develop an Asset Accumulation Plan (AAP) to get to that number. 

One can only hope so, but the markets in many parts of Canada have been defying gravity - and mathematics - for so long that people now believe it to be normal.It certainly appears to have peaked for us ... we have not bought anything in over a year now and are 0.5 for 8 on 12+ unit properties in our area {the 0.5 reflects an interim position we have taken in a property with another investor}.