Матильда
Arithmetic
Gotthat?"
Theten-year-oldboywrotethetwoseparateamountsdownslowlyandcarefully.
"Carnumbertwo",thefatherwenton,"costmeonehundredandeighteenpoundsandsoldforsevenhundredandsixty.Gotit?"
"Yes,dad,"thesonsaid."I’vegotthat."
"Carnumberthreecostonehundredandelevenpoundsandsoldforninehundredandninety-ninepoundsandfiftypence."
"Saythatagain,"thesonsaid."Howmuchdiditsellfor?""Ninehundredandninety-ninepoundsandfiftypence,"thefathersaid."Andthat,bytheway,isanotherofmyniftylittletrickstodiddlethecustomer.Neveraskforabigroundfigure.Alwaysgojustbelowit.Neversayonethousandpounds.Alwayssayninehundredandninety-ninefifty.Itsoundsmuchlessbutitisn’t.Clever,isn’tit?"
"Very,"thesonsaid."You’rebrilliant,dad."
"Carnumberfourcosteighty-sixpounds—arealwreckthatwas—andsoldforsixhundredandninety-ninepoundsfifty."
"Nottoofast,"thesonsaid,writingthenumbersdown.
"Right.I’vegotit."
"Carnumberfivecostsixhundredandthirty-sevenpoundsandsoldforsixteenhundredandforty-ninefifty.Yougotallthosefigureswrittendown,son?"
"Yes,daddy,"theboysaid,crouchingoverhispadandcarefullywriting.
"Verywell,"thefathersaid."NowworkouttheprofitImadeoneachofthefivecarsandaddupthetotal.Thenyou’llbeabletotellmehowmuchmoneyyourratherbrilliantfathermadealtogethertoday."
"That’salotofsums,"theboysaid.
"Ofcourseit’salotofsums,"thefatheranswered.
