Math Problem
“We start with 20,” said Mr. Phillips, “add 13 and get 33.”
I can do this. I hate math, but I can do this.
“Now if we add 12 to the previous sum, we get 45.”
I can do this. No math anxiety, I can do this.
“Let me write that all on the board:”
20+13+12 =45
Okay, I’ve got that, no problem.
“Now I don’t really need to write out the next part, it's obvious, but I'll write it here anyway:”
45 / x + 19(p / q)(m^2 / n^-14) = e^i / xyz
Wait! Where’d all that come from? She raises her hand. “Mr. Phillips, I didn’t follow what you just did.”
“Okay, Julie, let’s go over it again. See, 20 + 13 + 12 is 45. Of course then
45 / x + 19(p / q)(m^2 / n^-14) = e^i / xyz. That's really all there is to it. Okay, everybody, that’s it for today. Make sure you’re ready for the test tomorrow."
The bell rings but Julie stays after class. I’ve got to figure this out. I can’t fail this class. How I hate math. “Mr. Phillips, I just don’t get it. I understood it at first, but where’d you get all of those numbers and things all of a sudden?”
“Julie, Julie, it’s not that hard. I’m beginning to think that math just isn’t your subject.”
How can you say that? You're supposed to be a teacher. “No, Mr. Phillips, you just go too fast, that’s all. It’s impossible to follow you when you teach!”
“Is that so? Hmmm. . . Well, actually Julie, I appreciate you staying after and making it so easy to identify you all the sooner--it certainly saves us time. It will be all the sooner that we find every last one of you.”
As Mr. Phillips says this he pushes a little green button mounted on the side of his desk. The classroom door opens and two men in lab coats rush in. Mr. Phillips points to Julie and says to one of the men, “8(p xyz / x + 19(p / q)(m^2 / n^-14) = e^i / xyz 2 / n^i p / q)(m^^-1x + 19(p /)!”
The man nods and replies, “5 / x + 2 i / xyz 19(p // n^-14) = e^ q)(m^.),” and the two men grab Julie and carry her away to the ship.
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Yikes! The scariest thing to me about this story is that it's a little too close to how I felt in some of my math classes. In fact, many math teachers I had seemed to have this same attitude. I wonder where they took Julie...
ReplyDeleteHaha! Loved this story. Loved it. I definitely didn't expect the ending. Just goes to show you should never ask questions in class.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean my high school math teacher was an alien? I guess I wasn't inquisitive enough to be granted the favor of being adbucted...
ReplyDeleteI have had this experience, too, in a math class, but also in other kinds of subjects. I wonder if we can really know how different or similar we are to someone else.
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