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 on his fingers again. With a hesitating smile young Rose enquired, “Three"? The teacher now had 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 in a little stern and irritated voice.
In a voice that was law and hesitating young Rose replied, “Because I already have on 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.
THE END
