The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1894-04-06
HANDY WITH FRACIlvnS.
Alan's Uneie's Experiences With
Applied Mathematics.

Il can do any example in fractions.
uncle" said Alan the other evening as
he experimental with the cat to see if
he could hold that patient animal near
enough TO the CRATE fire so that its hair
would shrivel without any marked pro-
test from pussy.
Indeed" said uncle. indulgently,
lacing his fingers across his waistband
and extending his feet toward the fire;
81 used to be quite handy with frac-
tions myself. In fact, excelled in
mathematics. Your poor father, now,
had no faculty for them. 1t is singular
how diversified talents are in the same
family, singular, indeed
'Henry was considered the best
mathematician in his class, said Alan's
mother, with little flush.
''ln pure mathematics, Mary, in pure
mathematics, only" responded uncle;
but in the applied article he was
lamentably weak"
What Alan's mother might have re-
piled to this was lost in interest in
Alan's experiment in which the cat
suddenly ceased to be a passive agent.
BY and by, when Alan had bathed the
scratches on his hand and convinced
himself that the wound on his ear was
only superficial one, he said: "Give
me an example, uncle"
Certainly, said uncle, affably; "add
two-thirds and four-ffths and subtract
one-seventh."
Alan worked away for minute and
then asked: what is the answer,
uncle?"
'Er-I think you had better let me
see how you have done it my boy. That
will do you more good: Um--ah--S5,
no, 1O5-yes, to be sure. Why, no; the
one-seventh is to be subtracted. Fif-
teen, 10, 12, %, seven over; that makes
one and seven-ffteenths. Now let's
see-yes, 1O5. How will that come out?
Yes, that's right--one and thirtr-four-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES lItnS. ulue lA, Az.
Alan, You have the answer, only your
way Of doing it is little peculiar"
''It took you long time TO do it,
uncle"
Eyes, the light was bad. IcouIdn't
see the fignres very we'll. You could
improve on your figures, Alan
"Give me another, uncle, please
Make up tough one, can't you?"
"All right. John and James--you'd
better write this down--John and James
had 20 cents between them; John
bought three apples at 81 cents each;
James bought jack-lInife with four
blades; for the big blade he paid lcents;
] for the little blade, 1Hcents; for the
file blade, cents; for the blade with a
nick in it, n cents, and for the handle
twice as much. How much money did
they have left?"
"Twice as much as what?"
"Twice as much as-why twice as
much as for the little blade, of course.
That is what said Now, how much
did they have left?"
Nobody ever bought knife that
way"
"Probably not, but that is applied
mathematics, applying principles to
everyday transactions such as you will
engage in when you get older. Still,
perhaps, that is little too far along
for you?"
"Ohl l can do it easy enough" said
Alan, and he went to work. In a few
minutes he began to look puzzled; then
he asked: ''What do you want to
know"
"How much they had left?'
| Tho ,,4,,,IaI IoO1. f~,.o,,t 4, A.. C,~.,,,,.
multiplied. Why said the boy, final
", 'they wouldn't have any thing left.
They would owe, or james would owe,
1 SIS cents on the knife, or John would
have to give up some Of the apples
"Eh?n said uncle, with start; ''how's
that?"
Alan went carefully over the problem
step by step, and, as he proceeded,
uncle's confidence in himself disap-
peared, and in its wake ran cmbarrass-
ment and humiliation. But uncle has
not lived two score and more years in
this world of perplcxitics Tor nothing,
and when he was led to see that Alan
was right uncle was himself again.
'Ah, yes he said, ''youare quite right,
my boy, entirely right. | was wonder
ing if you would find it out
But dontunderstand how there can
be any thing left"
"There isn't said uncle, composedly.
81 didn't intend there should be. You
may remember that told you this was
applied mathcmaties-ap applying princi-
Piles to everyday transactions were |
think, the words | used. 1t is nothing
uncommon for men to buy mere than
they can pay for. In this simple prob
lem you have gained an insight into one
of the great principles of business life.
1t is well for you to mingle theory with
practice, an excellent idea, indeed
The paper behind which the. face Of
Alan's mother was hidden was shaking,
and there was look on her face of
merriment struggling with mild indig-
nation. Uncle settled back in his chair,
laced his fingers again, and realized