When I was young, my father told me a story that had me hooked on Math ever since. He attributed the tale to Einstein, who was a speaker at a business convention in Germany. I haven't been able to verify that, or even find this example anywhere, but it certainly rings true that Math does not always paint an accurate picture.
Einstein was allegedly attending this conference when an audience member opined that anything can be proved using Mathematics as it is always true. Einstein disagreed. As my father tells it, Einstein said, "Math can lie.
"Three salesmen found they needed to spend the night at an inn. They asked the front desk clerk the cost of the room for the evening, and were told, '$12'. Each man paid $4, and the bellhop took them to their room.
"Later that evening, the desk clerk discovered he made an error. The cost of the room for the night was only $8. He gave $4 to the bellhop and instructed him to return it to the salesmen.
"On the way to the room, the bellhop took $1 as a tip, as the salesmen had not tipped him earlier. He then gave the remaining $3 to the salesmen.
"Now, $8 for the cost of the room plus $4 refunded totals $12. Each man originally paid $4 each, for a total of $12, but now they have paid $3 each and received $1 each in refund for a total of $12. This balances perfectly, no?
"So where did the dollar come from that is in the bellhop's pocket?
"Math can lie."
When I got older and went shopping for my first car, my father reminded me of this story, and warned me to be careful of the calculations the car dealers would throw at me. With the right knowledge, and perhaps a little bit of talent, anyone can twist the numbers to make them suit their needs.
