A Mathematical Conundrum

Everybody has heard their math teacher proclaim that if the answer to a question doesn’t make sense, it’s probably wrong. Well, put away your pocket protectors and hide the abacus because a fourth grader just turned that notion on its head.

The math problem was one of those “how many combinations” conundrums that inevitably seem to cut into recess. You have five different colored shirts: blue, red, white, black and tan. You also have five different colored pants, also blue, red, white, black and tan. How many combinations of outfits can you wear? A certain nine year old young lady tackled this particular problem with gusto and, I dare say, flare. Unfortunately, she came up with the wrong answer. When questioned by her mother about the mathematical error, the young lady’s priorities and sensibilities became perfectly clear. “I missed it because you told me never to wear blue with black.”

Who can argue with that? If the answer doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t make sense.