Every year on September 1st, first-graders head off to school. Once upon a time, Vasya was a first-grader too. His mother brought him to school. He wore a beautiful school uniform and held a bouquet that the boy gave to his first teacher.
But the excitement of the September 1st holiday soon turned into a dislike for school. Vasya didn't enjoy studying. Mathematics was particularly difficult for him.
Study mathematics, son — it's a very important science.
His mother would tell him.
It's not important at all. Why do I need it?
Vasya would say.
Mathematics is all around us. Imagine you go to a store and want to buy chocolate. You need to pay money. How will you count it without mathematics?
I'll give the money to the shopkeeper and he'll count it himself.
The shopkeeper might cheat you and take more than necessary.
Why would he do that?
To keep the money for himself instead of putting it in the register. And when you grow up, you might want to become an accountant, engineer, or programmer. You can't do any of those jobs without mathematics.
Vasya thought about what he wanted to be in the future. But while he was in elementary school, he still couldn't decide.
In 7th grade, Vasya's school introduced a new subject — technical drawing. The boy fell in love with it immediately. He enjoyed making drawings so much. He drew everything he saw. That's when he realized he wanted to become an engineer.
But he still couldn't get along with mathematics. When the class was learning about the number Pi, Vasya was busy with his drawings. The teacher scolded him for it.
The number Pi is an important constant. Everyone must know it.
The math teacher would scold.
I personally don't need this value at all. I'm going to be an engineer, and the main thing there is to be able to draw, and I'm very good at that.
Vasya would declare.
That evening, the boy sat down to do his homework when something incredible happened. Oh, what a miracle! The number Pi jumped out of the textbook and spoke to Vasya.
So you think you don't need to know me?
The boy was confused and couldn't say a word.
But every engineer must know me. Don't you believe me? Want to check?
asked the number Pi.
I do.
Vasya answered.
And suddenly, instead of his room, he found himself on a construction site. Before him lay a large sheet of paper and drawing tools. Everyone around called him the chief engineer and waited for him to finish the house blueprint. After all, only with a blueprint could they begin construction. And Vasya got to work. But in his work, he didn't calculate mathematical values or consider any details. Soon the drawing was ready.
The construction workers got to work. Everyone followed Vasya's blueprint. But suddenly, the unfinished house collapsed.
Some engineer you are! What did you draw for us here?
the workers cursed.
I'm sorry. I don't know why this happened.
Vasya kept saying.
It's a good thing we weren't on the construction site when the house collapsed. We could have died. Didn't you account for the ratio of the circumference to its diameter, the number Pi?
asked the foreman.
The boy just blushed in response.
I don't know anything about this value.
Vasya answered, continuing to blush.
What!? That's important. What kind of engineer are you then?
All the workers laughed at him.
Vasya ran away. He hid in a corner and began to cry. He cried for a long time, and when he was completely exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep.
When Vasya woke up and rubbed his sleepy, red eyes, he found himself back home, and the number Pi was standing before him.
Forgive me, I never thought you were such an important value. I understand now. From now on, I will approach my studies responsibly.
Vasya began to study more diligently. He grew up, and his dream came true: he became a famous engineer. In his work, he always accounted for all calculations and never forgot about the number Pi. On his desk, next to photographs of his children, there was a small figurine in the shape of the letter Pi, a symbol of the famous number PI that all scientists know. And all the construction work done according to Vasily's blueprints always ended successfully.
Now Vasily himself earnestly advised the younger generation to study all mathematical constants. After all, you never know in which field you'll need to apply your knowledge, so you must study, study, and study again.
