Calculating with Numbers
Although I certainly didn't realize anything
profound at the time, the pleasure of calculation and the observing of
relationships between numbers first came to me in the second grade. Sister
Madonna had just taught the class multiplication with the number 2. That
night before dinner and then after dinner, I was thick in a calculation
frenzy.
Starting with 1 times 2, then 2 times the result, then 2
times the result, and so on until the multiplicand was wider than one
line in my copybook. At the end of that night, I was thoroughly and completely
confident that anything to do with numbers I understood.
Of course, I was wrong. A few weeks later when we were
learning the 12 times table, I got into a big argument with my father.
I insisted that no way could 12 times 12 could equal 144. I don't remember
why I fixated against that particular result now - thank goodness. It's
good to forget ill-founded thoughts.
Anyhow, my father tired of my wordy arguments, took a ruler
and pencil to a large piece of newspaper, and drew
a square 12 inches on a side. Then he ticked off on each side at one inch
intervals and drew the lines across and down. He handed me the pencil and
said, "Start at the top and put a number in each little square, starting
with one."
I learned two lessons. 12 times 12 was 144 and that theories
should be put to the test as soon as possible.
