Getting a Bit Recognized

As Michael stepped out of the classroom, he was filled with anxiety. He kept wondering why Mr. Delgado wanted to see him. Was it because his answers were too perfect, or did they look suspicious? Michael knew that the way the system helped him solve the problems was different from the usual methods taught in class. This difference might have caught Mr. Delgado's attention, making him curious or even suspicious. 

That might be it.

"Shit…how would I explain this to him later…" Michael grumbled as he rummaged through his bag, grabbing his smartphone. Opening it, he saw his schedule for today.

"Differential equations and statics of rigid bodies huh? Just as difficult as the thermodynamics," Michael sighed and resumed walking towards the designated classroom. He'll worry about it later.

***

Thirty minutes later, in another room in building nine. Michael reunited with Psylemon, sitting next to each other once again. He has a shocked look on his face as if seeing a different person.

"What's with you?" Psylemon said.

"What do you mean?" Michael asked, tilting his head to the side.

"You earlier. You just finished the test in under thirty minutes. I thought you said you were going to have a hard time on the test. So how come you were able to finish it so early compared to our top classmates? Don't tell me, you just gave up in the middle. Wrote solutions to make it appear that you have solved the problems?" Psylemon's curiosity was evident.

Michael shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Nah, I didn't give up. Just had a moment of clarity, I guess. Sometimes things just click, you know?"

Psylemon raised an eyebrow, clearly not entirely convinced. "Clarity, huh? That's one heck of a moment. You were struggling with thermodynamics just like the rest of us."

Michael nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on his notes. "Yeah, well, sometimes pressure does strange things. Makes you focus in ways you didn't think possible."

Psylemon leaned back, still eyeing Michael with suspicion. "Whatever man, we are going to get zero anyway. The test was a torture. He didn't even teach that kind of problem to us." 

"True…well, what can we do? It's Mr. Delgado after all."

As they talked, their professor in differential equations entered the classroom. Just as Mr. Delgado, their professor, Ms. Ocampo, was as strict as 

him. She was known for her rigorous teaching methods and no-nonsense attitude.

"Alright, class, let's get started to maximize our time," Ms. Ocampo announced as she walked to the front of the room, her eyes scanning over the students. "One seat apart. Only calculators and pens on your desks, nothing else." 

The students quickly rearranged their seats and cleared their desks, knowing better than to question Ms. Ocampo's instructions. Michael settled into his spot, pulling out his calculator and a pen, his mind still partially preoccupied with the earlier exam. 

Then, Ms. Ocampo handed out the exam paper, which consisted of ten questions regarding Bernoulli's equation. And it's not a simple problem. From a glance alone, Michael could tell that this was going to be difficult.

But just like earlier in thermodynamics, the user interface popped up again, offering him a way out. 

[Do you want to solve this technical problem for 50 mastery points?]

Well, the differential equations subject is hard if one isn't focused during the lessons. However, Michael is not a student who has the luxury of being attentive in class due to his background as a part-time student. If this meant passing the exam and giving him more chances of passing in the finals, he didn't hesitate to tap the yes icon. And just like that, the solutions and answers popped up on the holographic screen in front of him, invisible to everyone else.

The exam questions, involving intricate uses of Bernoulli's equation in differential forms, were beyond what he had prepared for. However, with the system's guidance, he methodically worked through each one, understanding the logic behind the solutions as he went. The system didn't just give him answers; it provided a step-by-step breakdown, enhancing his understanding of the concepts.

As he progressed, Michael became more confident. He finished the exam with too much time to spare, a feat that would have been impossible without the Technological System's help. He handed in his paper, leaving his blockmates or classmates in shock once again.

"Hey…you notice something different from Michael?" One of his classmates whispered.

"Yeah…earlier he finished first in the thermodynamics exam and now differential equations? What did he eat?"

"Or maybe he is showing off or giving up in the middle." 

"Well…we will know once they announce the score." 

***

Three o'clock in the afternoon, Richard's professors, Mr. Delgado, Ms. Ocampo, and Mr. Aviso were having their break time outside the campus.

"You guys, you have a student named Michael Reyes right?" 

Ocampo and Aviso exchanged glances at one another and then nodded. 

"He finished my test which I considered difficult where only five percent will pass…yet he finished it in under thirty minutes." 

"Same here," Ocampo added. "He finished the exam early and I thought he just scribbled random numbers but it turns out, all of his answers are correct."

"Really? I also took a glance at his paper after he handed me his test paper. His final answer is the same as the correct answer," Mr. Aviso chimed in, looking thoughtful. "But he was always just an average student, right? How did he suddenly become so proficient?"

"Exactly," Mr. Delgado said, frowning slightly. "It's unusual. I've taught him before, and he was never this quick or accurate. I've seen students improve, but this is something else."

Ms. Ocampo nodded in agreement. "It's almost as if he had some kind of help, but I watched him closely. He didn't cheat, at least not in any way I could see."

The three professors sipped their coffee in silence, each lost in thought. There was a sense of intrigue mixed with skepticism about Michael's sudden academic prowess.

"Maybe he's been studying really hard?" Mr. Aviso suggested, trying to offer a more optimistic perspective.

"Possibly," Mr. Delgado replied, "but the level of improvement is extraordinary. I'm planning to have a talk with him and have him explain how he arrived at that answer."

***

Four o'clock in the afternoon, at Mr. Delgado's office. There was a knock on the door. Delgado glanced at the window and saw Michael. He signaled him to enter and Michael cautiously stepped in. 

"Sit down, Michael," Mr. Delgado said, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.

Michael obeyed, sitting down while trying to keep his composure.

"I'll get straight to the point," Mr. Delgado began, folding his hands on the desk. "Your performance in this exam has been exceptional. Too exceptional, given your past records, considering you failed the prelim test. Can you explain how you managed to solve those complex problems so quickly?"

Michael felt his throat tighten. He knew he couldn't reveal the truth about the Technological System. He had to come up with a believable explanation.

"I... I've been studying differently," Michael stammered. "I found new study materials online and have been using them to understand the concepts better."

Mr. Delgado eyed him for a moment, his expression unreadable. "I see. Well, it's impressive."

Delgado pulled a paper from the sheaf of papers and then handed it to him. 

"This is your test, and it has perfect marks," Delgado announced.

Michael felt his heart race at the mention of his perfect score. "Thank you, sir," he managed to say, trying to mask his surprise.

Mr. Delgado leaned back in his chair, still studying Michael. "Can you explain to me how you solved equation number one?" 

Michael shifted in his chair, feeling the weight of Mr. Delgado's gaze. He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Okay, for question one," he began, his voice steadier than he expected, "the key was to apply the principles of thermodynamics in each stage of the process."

"For the isothermal expansion from state A to B, I knew that temperature remains constant. So, I used the ideal gas law, PV=nRT, to find the final pressure and temperature. Since temperature is constant, the pressure at state B would be lower than at state A due to the increase in volume," Michael explained, surprised at his own clarity.

"For the work done during this stage, I remembered that work in an isothermal process for an ideal gas can be calculated using W = nRT ln(V2/V1). So, I plugged in the values to find the work done by the gas."

"Then, for the adiabatic compression to state C, I used the adiabatic process equation, PV^γ = constant, to find the temperature at state C. Since the volume returns to its initial value and the process is adiabatic, the temperature increases," he continued, feeling more confident.

"Finally, for the isochoric cooling, I applied the first law of thermodynamics. Since the volume is constant, the work done is zero, and the change in internal energy equals the heat added or removed. So, I calculated the heat rejected by the gas to return to its initial state using Q = ΔU = nCvΔT."

As Michael finished his explanation, he realized he had understood more than he had thought. His explanation sounded almost expert, and he felt a strange sense of pride. He looked up at Mr. Delgado, waiting for his reaction.

Mr. Delgado leaned forward, his expression changing from skepticism to admiration. "Amazing, Michael. The fact that you can explain it to me so simply…" 

"Thank you…" Michael said. 

"Well, to see that you really improved, I have a proposal for you," Delgado said and continued. "I will give you a problem, all of them are difficult. And if you scored at least eighty percent of it, I might offer you a chance to join the PSME competition which has cash prizes and awards from the organization and the school. Are you interested?"

Michael rubbed his head nervously. "Are you sure sir?" 

"I am, but only if you pass my assessment of course." 

"I have to think about it sir," Michael said.

"Understandable," Mr. Delgado replied with a nod. "But keep in mind, this could be a great opportunity for you, both academically and financially. Let me know your decision by the end of the week."

Michael nodded, still processing the offer. "I will, sir. Thank you for considering me."

As he stood up to leave, his smartphone buzzed in his pocket. Michael pulled it out and checked the notification. It was a reminder about his part-time job at the mall. Glancing at the time, he realized he needed to hurry if he didn't want to be late.

"Sir, I have to go now. I have my part-time job to attend to," Michael explained quickly.

"Of course, go ahead. And Michael," Mr. Delgado added as Michael reached the door, "keep up the good work. You're proving to be quite a remarkable student."

With a brief nod, Michael left the office.