Willie asks his young son Ethan what math is and works through simple addition problems together. Ethan discovers he can count on his fingers to check his answers, and realizes math helps solve real problems like figuring out how many animals someone caught while hunting.
Hey Ethan, how are you?
Good.
Good? What does your t-shirt say?
Yeah, what?
What does your t-shirt say?
Best son ever.
I see. What does that mean?
Uh, that means I can't explain that. I'll have to think about how to explain that.
Okay, fair enough. So I was thinking about math. What is math?
We've talked about this before.
Well, so let's do some math then. How high can you count?
Uh, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. I skip some numbers. Sometimes I skip, well, every time I skip a number.
So you can only—
Did I skip 14? What?
Can you only count to 10 or can you count to 20?
Probably count higher than 20.
Okay, and can you add numbers together?
Uh, yes, I can do math.
So what's 2 2?
That probably make 4.
Okay, how did you figure that out?
It's 'cause I do math problems all the time.
I see. So in which case, what is 4 4?
That's probably 6.
Is there a way to test if you're right or wrong, if you're right or not?
Not that I can think of.
So with 2 2 4, I bet you could count 2 fingers and then you could add 2 more fingers And how many is that?
That's 4.
Okay. So, would you say that's a way to test if 2 2 actually equals 4?
Oh. I get it.
Okay. So, let's see if we can figure out if 4 4 6, okay? How can we figure out if 4 4 6?
Four. One. Uh. One. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. It's eight! 4 4 8.
Okay, how did you figure that out?
By just counting my fingers.
Okay, so why do you think you used to think that 4 4 6?
Because I— it's probably because I just didn't know.
So let's see if we can figure out a different one. How about 5 5?
That makes 10.
How do you know that one?
Wait, give me a sec. Okay. This is how I live my thoughts. Yep, it's 10.
All right, and how did you figure it out this time?
Uh, same way last time.
Okay, so would you say that counting fingers is a pretty reliable way to figure out, um, the answer to addition problems?
Yes.
And do you think that the answers to math problems change or is 2 2 always 4?
2 2 is always 4.
Okay, so do you think then that 4 4 is always 8?
Uh, but maybe. I don't know the answers to those questions, Willie.
Okay. Um, so how about counting by 2s? Do you know how to count by 2s?
No.
So if you count by 1s, it's 1, 2, 3, 4, right?
Basically every number is a 1.
Right. But what if we did 2, 4? That's counting by 2s.
2, 4.
What comes next after?
2, 4. There, I think I get it. Counting by 2s.
So, if 2, 4, and if we count 2 more, what's the next one?
2, 6. 2, 4, 2, 4, 2, 1, 3. I did not know.
Okay, so, um, numbers have patterns. So does it make sense that numbers have patterns? No. Okay, so 2, 4, if we add 2 more, I would call that as— how many fingers do I have?
I have a 6.
Okay, so if you count by 2s, the You get 2 and then 4 and then 6. Do you have any idea what would be 2 more after 6?
No.
Okay. Um, so why do you think that people use math? What do people use math for?
For figuring out problems.
What kind of problems?
Well, there's different problems. Like one, me and Dad were going wobbin' hunting to like catch a wobbin' in the net and then we'll get it, then we'll release it off again. And we had to use math. That's a problem.
Okay. So do you think—
That's the only problem I can think of.
Okay. Do you know if adults use math?
Yes, they use math a lot.
What do they use math for?
I don't know. You have to, you have to ask an adult.
Okay. How about you kind of start watching and see if you can catch an adult using math sometimes, okay? You know, watch adults, see if you can find it.
Okay.
Okay. In which case, I'm going to let you have a wonderful Sunday. And maybe we'll figure out more about math later. Okay, bye-bye.
