LONDON, UK—A maths teacher at a local high school has boasted that he can solve any equation, no matter how complex or difficult. However, his students have decided to put his claim to the test by asking him to solve their personal problems instead.
Mr. Jones, who teaches algebra and calculus to year 10 and 11 students, made the bold statement during a lesson on quadratic equations. He said that he was so confident in his mathematical skills that he could find the solution to any equation that the students could come up with.
“I’m not afraid of any challenge,” he said. “Bring it on. Give me any equation and I’ll solve it for you in a matter of seconds.”
The students, who were bored and frustrated by the lesson, decided to take him up on his offer. However, instead of giving him mathematical equations, they started giving him questions about their personal issues.
“Mr. Jones, how do I get my crush to notice me?” one student asked.
“Mr. Jones, how do I deal with my parents’ divorce?” another student asked.
“Mr. Jones, how do I cope with my anxiety and depression?” a third student asked.
Math Destruction
Mr. Jones, who was caught off guard by the unexpected questions, tried to answer them using his mathematical knowledge. He attempted to use formulas, graphs, and variables to explain the situations and find the optimal solutions.
However, his answers were either irrelevant, incomprehensible, or insensitive. He told the first student to use the quadratic formula to find the roots of their crush’s heart. He told the second student to use the binomial theorem to expand their family tree. He told the third student to use the limit definition of a derivative to find their rate of change.
The students were not impressed by his answers and started laughing at him. They realized that he was clueless about anything that was not related to maths. They also realized that he was not very good at maths either, as he made several mistakes and errors in his calculations.
“Mr. Jones, you’re such a joke,” one student said. “You can’t solve anything. You can’t even solve your own problems.”
The students then proceeded to ask him more questions about his personal life, such as his marital status, his income, his hobbies, and his dreams. Mr. Jones tried to avoid answering them, but the students insisted and pressured him.
Confession
He eventually broke down and confessed that he was unhappy with his life. He said that he was single, broke, bored, and miserable. He said that he hated his job and had no friends. He said that he had no passion or purpose in life. He said that he wished he could be someone else.
The students felt sorry for him and stopped mocking him. They realized that he was not a bad person, just a lonely and sad one. They decided to give him some advice and encouragement instead.
“Mr. Jones, you don’t have to be like this,” one student said. “You can change your life for the better.”
“Mr. Jones, you have potential and talent,” another student said. “You can do anything you want.”
“Mr. Jones, you are not alone,” a third student said. “We are here for you.”
Not Everything Math
The students then hugged him and cheered him up. They told him that they appreciated him as a teacher and as a person. They told him that they would help him with his problems and support him with his goals.
Mr. Jones was touched by their kindness and compassion. He thanked them for their words and actions. He said that they had made him feel better than he had felt in a long time.
He then apologized for being arrogant and boastful before. He admitted that he was wrong about being able to solve any equation. He said that there were some equations that were too hard or too complicated for him to solve.
He said that there were some equations that were not meant to be solved by maths alone.
He said that there were some equations that required more than just numbers and symbols.
He said that there were some equations that required love and friendship.
