When I was six years old and in primary school we did little cards of simple
maths problems. One sum I had to solve was 2+3. I thought the answer
was 5 so I wrote in my terrible handwriting: 2+3=5.
This was marked wrong so I had to do it again. I carefully
considered the question and decided that my answer was right. Perhaps
the teacher had not been able to read my writing, so I very carefully
wrote 2+3=5. Again it was marked wrong. I was not allowed to go onto
further problems until I got this one right. So I thought about what
other answer to the problem was possible but I could not think of any
other answer. Again I wrote 2+3=5. This went on for a while. I was only
six but I must have been stubborn because each time it was marked wrong
I wrote 2+3=5.
Eventually I took the coward's way out. I could
not solve the problem if the answer was anything other than 5 so I
simply ignored the fact that I had got the answer wrong again and went
onto other maths problems. This was against the rules, but the teacher
did not catch me and I was able to progress to apparently harder
addition problems which I did solve correctly. Later I graduated to
subtraction.
Now I am older (57) and have studied more maths at
school and university, and have done jobs where accuracy of maths is
important, I still think 2+3=5. I remember the teacher well. She was a
nice young lady as well as a good teacher; I hope she is still alive
and well. I remember her name but will not write it here. I often
wonder what the correct answer to 2+3 is.
Steve Challis
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2+3=5 A true Story