funny maths related story

Once upon a time, there was a mathematician who was very bad at directions. One day, he was using a map to find a place. The map had a grid system, much like the coordinate system in math. He got so confused between the x - and y - axes that he ended up walking in circles. He kept muttering about how if only life had simple equations to follow like in math, he wouldn't be lost. Eventually, he found a little girl who was really good at math. She quickly pointed out the correct way using the grid numbers on the map. The mathematician was both embarrassed and amused at the situation.

Here's one. In a math class, the teacher asked a student to count from 1 to 10. The student, being a bit of a joker, started counting 'One, two, many, four, five...' The whole class burst out laughing. The teacher was both frustrated and amused. He then explained why 'many' was not a number in the context of counting. It was a really light - hearted moment in the usually serious math class.

One common theme is mathematicians' absent - mindedness. They are often so focused on maths problems that they do silly things in real life, like the story of boiling the watch instead of an egg.

There was a student who thought that if a = b, then a² = b². So when given the equation x² = 16, he wrote x = 4 only. When the teacher asked about - 4, he said 'but if x = - 4, then it's not as simple as the rule I learned, a = b so a² = b² should mean only positive answers!'. It was really a misunderstanding of the concept in a rather funny way. Maths can be tricky like that for some learners.

Maths fiction books can make abstract maths concepts more concrete. For example, in 'Flatland', the description of the 2D world helps in visualizing geometric shapes better. They also create interest. When reading about a character using maths to solve a problem in a story, like in 'The Number Devil', it makes maths seem less intimidating and more like an adventure.

You can try looking on educational platforms like Coursera or Khan Academy. They often have such content.

The story of Euclid is also a great maths success. He wrote 'Elements', which was a comprehensive compilation of geometrical knowledge. His work established the foundation of geometry as we know it. For over two thousand years, students have been learning from 'Elements', and it has been the basis for many further developments in mathematics and related fields like architecture and engineering.

One success story could be a student who was initially struggling with algebra but through dedicated practice and the help of a great tutor, mastered it and went on to win a math competition. Another might be a person who overcame their math phobia and was able to complete a degree in engineering which requires a lot of math skills. There are also those who, by mastering math, were able to start their own successful financial consulting businesses as math is crucial in finance.

One challenge is finding the right stories that fit the maths concepts well. Not all stories can be easily adapted to teach maths. Another is that some students might focus too much on the story and miss the maths part.

It can be very effective. Stories can make abstract maths concepts more concrete and relatable for students. For example, using a story about sharing candies among friends to teach division. It engages students' interest and helps them remember better.