2/03Minimum amount S&P 500 corporations owe in retirement benefits for which they have set aside no funds: $458,000,000,000

Merrill Lynch (N.Y.C.)

2/09Number of times in 2008 that the S&P 500 closed up or down 5 percent in a single day: 17

The Vanguard Group (Malvern, Pa.)

    Number of times between 1956 and 2007 it did this: 17

The Vanguard Group (Malvern, Pa.)

3/01Annual number of U.S. elementary school students who play The Stock Market Game, a 10-week trading simulation: 200,000

Securities Industry Foundation for Economic Education (N.Y.C.)

    Amount of play money the children are given to invest: $100,000

Securities Industry Foundation for Economic Education (N.Y.C.)

    Additional amount they may borrow on margin: $100,000

Securities Industry Foundation for Economic Education (N.Y.C.)

7/91Number of hours that U.S. convenience-store employees spend counting pennies each year: 5,500,000

Coin Coalition (Washington)/National Association of Convenience Stores (Alexandria, Va.)

11/87Tuition for a week at the Dollars ¢ Sense management camp for teenagers in Florida: $600

Smart Services (West Palm Beach, Fla.)