Gifted Math Fairy Tales (Volume 10) - Bilingual

Description

Gifted Math Fairy Tale 1 - Young's Adventure

Neither the inventor nor the exact time of the number zero are known. However, its invention had a profound impact on human history. What would have happened if zero had not been invented? We would have had to use inconvenient and complicated methods to represent large numbers using only the digits 1 through 9. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and even various complex calculations like square roots would have been impossible or difficult. The convenient computer would not have been invented either. The idea of ​​using zero to increment a number by one every time it reached 10 was truly a remarkable invention.

This book, "The Adventures of the Spirit," captures precisely this concept and meaning of the spirit. It first helps children understand the meaning of the spirit—"nothing"—by comparing it to the idea of ​​being alone. Next, it gradually explores what happens when the spirit is used in addition and multiplication. Through this process, children naturally grasp the role of the spirit in arithmetic operations. Furthermore, they gain an understanding of the concept and meaning of the number zero—that is, the use of zero after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to represent the larger number 10—and even the concept of the tens place. Breaking free from the rote learning that "10 comes after 9," children learn the number zero (0) naturally, as if water were seeping into the paper as they read through the "story of the spirit's adventure to find its place."

Gifted Math Fairy Tale 2 - The Discovery of Pythagoras

Pythagoras, a real person, was a renowned Greek philosopher and mathematician. As a mathematician, Pythagoras, based on the belief that "everything is number," made his mark on the history of mathematics by conducting research on various numbers. Among his many achievements, perhaps the most remarkable is the law he named the "Pythagorean theorem." While the ancient Babylonians are known to have first discovered this theorem—"if the sides of a right triangle are a, b, and c, and the angle about c is a right angle, then a² + b² = c²"—Pythagoras was the first to prove it as a law. This law is a fundamental and crucial mathematical concept that shines through not only in mathematics but also in many aspects of our lives.

"The Discovery of Pythagoras" tells the story of the Pythagorean theorem, a²+b²=c². The book features the mischievous Pythagoras, and this setting allows children to feel a sense of connection with the mathematician. In the story, Pythagoras experiments with knotted ropes and tiles, going through trial and error until he understands right triangles. Ultimately, through careful consideration, he discovers the laws of right triangles. This story offers a different learning experience than simply memorizing the formula "a²+b²=c²." Through indirect experience, children become the mischievous Pythagoras and gain a valid understanding and acceptance of the fundamental principles of the formula.