Clever Maths stories
I started to think about some clever Maths stories which would be suitable to celebrate the 14 th March known as the Pi Day. I found two which have something in common with this mysterious, endless digit.
Pi is a name given to the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter. That means, for any circle, you can divide the circumference (the distance around the circle) by the diameter and always get exactly the same number. It doesn't matter how big or small the circle is, Pi remains the same. What' s more nobody, except Chuck Norris, knows the last digit of Pi :)
A wise old ruler wanted to reward his servant for an act of extraordinary bravery. The servant said:
‘Master I ask you for just one thing. Take your chessboard and place on the first square one grain of rice. On the first day I will take this grain home to feed my family. On the second day place on the second square 2 grains for me to take home. On the third day cover the third square with four grains for me to take. Each day double the number of grains you give me until you have placed rice on every square of the chessboard. Then my reward will be complete.’
The wise old ruler replied:
‘This sounds like a small price to pay for your act of incredible bravery, I will ask my servants to do as you ask immediately.’
In fact, After 1 month or 30 days, the servant has earned a good salary. The problem with doubling is that the servant is about to get rich – very fast. On day 54, the servant is due to have collected a total of 5.22 x 1011 kg of rice.
Some legends suggest that the servant was executed for his cheeky request, whereas others state that he was promoted for his cunning.
‘This sounds like a small price to pay for your act of incredible bravery, I will ask my servants to do as you ask immediately.’
In fact, After 1 month or 30 days, the servant has earned a good salary. The problem with doubling is that the servant is about to get rich – very fast. On day 54, the servant is due to have collected a total of 5.22 x 1011 kg of rice.
Some legends suggest that the servant was executed for his cheeky request, whereas others state that he was promoted for his cunning.
Wise men of Gotham
Once upon a time there were some wise men who lived in Gotham. Listen and you will hear how wise they were.
Twelve of these wise men went fishing one day. Some went into the stream and some stayed on dry ground. They caught many fish and had a good time.
As they came home, one of the men said, "We have risked much wading in that stream. I pray God no one of us is drowned."
"Why, one of us might be! Who knows?" cried another.
"Let's see about it. Twelve of us went fishing this morning. We must count and see if twelve are returning."
So one man counted, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven." And he did not count himself!
"Alas! One of us is drowned!" he cried.
"Woe be unto us! Let me count," said another. And he did not count himself.
"Alas! alas!" he wailed; "truly one of us is drowned!"
Then every man counted, and each one failed to count himself.
"Alas! alas!" they all cried; "one of us is drowned! Which one is it?"
They went back to the shore, and they looked up and down for him that was drowned. All the time they were lamenting loudly.
A courtier came riding by. "What are you seeking?" he asked, "and why are you so sorrowful?"
"Oh," said they, "this day we came to fish in the stream. There were twelve of us, but one is drowned."
"Why," said the courtier, "count yourselves and see how many there be."
Again they counted, and again each man failed to count himself.
"Well, this is sad," said the courtier, who saw how the mistake had been made. "What will you give me if I find the twelfth man?"
"Sir," cried all together, "you may have all the money we own."
"Give me the money," said the courtier.
Then he began to count. He gave the first man a whack over the shoulders and said, "There is one."
He gave the next a whack and said, "There is two." And so he counted until he came to the last man. He gave this one a sounding blow, saying, "And here is the twelfth."
"God bless you!" cried all the company. "You have found our neighbor."
"Alas! One of us is drowned!" he cried.
"Woe be unto us! Let me count," said another. And he did not count himself.
"Alas! alas!" he wailed; "truly one of us is drowned!"
Then every man counted, and each one failed to count himself.
"Alas! alas!" they all cried; "one of us is drowned! Which one is it?"
They went back to the shore, and they looked up and down for him that was drowned. All the time they were lamenting loudly.
A courtier came riding by. "What are you seeking?" he asked, "and why are you so sorrowful?"
"Oh," said they, "this day we came to fish in the stream. There were twelve of us, but one is drowned."
"Why," said the courtier, "count yourselves and see how many there be."
Again they counted, and again each man failed to count himself.
"Well, this is sad," said the courtier, who saw how the mistake had been made. "What will you give me if I find the twelfth man?"
"Sir," cried all together, "you may have all the money we own."
"Give me the money," said the courtier.
Then he began to count. He gave the first man a whack over the shoulders and said, "There is one."
He gave the next a whack and said, "There is two." And so he counted until he came to the last man. He gave this one a sounding blow, saying, "And here is the twelfth."
"God bless you!" cried all the company. "You have found our neighbor."
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