2.The Right Answer
A
Teacher teaching Maths to a seven year-old Rose asked him “If I give you one
apple and one apple and one more apple, how many apples will you have?”. Within
a few seconds Rose replied confidently, “Four!”. “Maybe the child did not
listen properly”, she thought. She repeated, “Rose, listen carefully. It is
very simple. If I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple, how many
apples will you have?”
Rose calculated again on his
fingers. But within him he was also searching for the answer that will make the
teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied: “Four…..”. The teacher
remembered Rose loves Strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn’t like apples
and that is making him lose focus. This time with exaggerated excitement and
twinkling eyes she asked, “If I give you one strawberry, and one strawberry and
one more strawberry then how many will Rose have?
Young Rose calculated his fingers again. With a
hesitating smile young Rose enquired, “Three”? The teacher now has a victorious
smile. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, “Now if I give
you one apple and one apple and one more apple, how many will you have?”
Promptly Rose answered, “Four!” The teacher was aghast. “How Rose, How?” She
demanded a little stern and irritated voice. In a voice that was law and
hesitating young Rose replied, “Because
I already have an apple in my bag….”
Moral Of the story: When someone gives us an
answer that is different from what we are expecting, not necessarily they are
wrong. There may be an angle that we have not understood at all.
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