Working Prophet.

Chapter 56 The Cornerstone of Civilization

In order to turn those four children who are still young, who don't know how to write, and who are almost as white as paper, into usable helpers, Li Yu needs to carry out some necessary training for them.

The first is to teach them digital writing and simple mathematical calculations.

Because numbers are one of the important cornerstones of civilization, almost all modern natural sciences cannot be separated from number calculations, especially the more in-depth research, master's and postdoctoral studies, the more you can realize the importance of mathematics as a research tool.

Regardless of these cutting-edge scientific research fields, numbers also play an extremely important role in daily life.

Without numbers, there can be no transactions. It is difficult to express how many sheep have been exchanged with an axe. Even the most basic statistical work cannot be carried out.

Many civilizations on the continent of Bratis have developed to this day, and of course they also have their number systems.

Taking the most popular elf numbers as an example, Li Yu learned from Anton that this is a counting method very similar to Roman numerals.

Basically, you pick out a few symbols, agree that they represent different numbers, and then add or subtract them through the writing order to get the number you want to express.

The advantage of this counting method is that you only need to learn five or six characters to write all the numbers, but the disadvantage is also obvious, that is, it has no place value system.

In Li Yu's universe, when you write down a number, such as 219, everyone knows that the second 1 represents 10, and the first 2 actually represents 200.

However, in Elf numbers or Roman numerals, there is no concept of place value, they are basically a bunch of symbols piled there, and this brings a problem, when you look at it at first glance, it is actually Not sure what that number represents.

You need to perform a calculation on all the symbols that exist in it to get an accurate number.

This is undoubtedly time-consuming and increases the risk of miscalculations.

Therefore, Li Yu introduced Arabic numerals without hesitation in order to carry out statistical work smoothly in the future and perform basic calculations.

The ten numbers from 0 to 9 were handed over to four children.

Just memorizing the ten abstract symbols is not too difficult. Even Aaron, the youngest of the group of four, can write the numbers that Li Yu casually reported without taking much time.

But after breaking through 10, and introducing addition and subtraction, it is a little bit of a challenge. Fortunately, although the number of elves is troublesome, it also uses decimal, not binary like a computer, or even weirder twelve or fifteen. system.

Otherwise, Li Yu didn't know how long he would have to teach them before they could accept the decimal system again.

And after the simple multiplication and division, you can clearly feel the gap in each child's aptitude.

After Li Yu brought out the nine-to-nine multiplication table, which can be called a nightmare for elementary school students, the little girl named Nicole introduced by the boss, although she has been working hard to recite it, her progress is obviously lagging behind the other three.

She herself was obviously very anxious, and she was sweating profusely after a while, but the more anxious she was, the worse her recitation efficiency was, and she recited it upside down.

"Six seven 48, seven seven... seven seven..." Nicole felt her head was full of paste, grabbed her hair, squatted on the ground, her little face was full of frustration.

"Don't worry, if you can't recite it today, just recite it for two more days. I'll check your homework next time. It doesn't matter if it's earlier or later." Li Yu said.

He didn't say that just to comfort Nicole. Li Yu's goal is not to train these four children to become mathematicians, but to hope that they can master some basic calculations in the second and third grades of elementary school. At this stage, it is enough .

The quality of qualifications is really not that important.

Besides, if Li Yu spends one day or three days here, he can't afford to wait. In contrast, he still values ​​learning and doing things more.

He is quite satisfied with this so far, whether it is Nicole or the other three children, they are all serious about learning.

Even if they don't know what the knowledge they have learned is useful, just being able to eat enough every day, having a holiday every five days, and getting silver coins is enough for them to work hard.

Nicole kept her eyes closed as if she didn't hear Li Yu's words, and kept repeating, "Qiqi, Qiqi..."

"Seven seven 49 oh."

A voice drifted past Nicole's ear, Li Yu turned his head and found that the person who spoke was Clara.

The little maid was quite happy during this period, because the job that Fausto assigned to her was to accompany Li Yu and meet Li Yu's various needs.

And what Li Yu needs is to wander around, find people to chat with, and ask all kinds of strange questions.

Clara can also go outside the castle with this foreigner in black to enjoy the sun, smell the fragrance of green grass, and when Li Yu talks to people, the little maid will pick some flowers and plants and weave them into various small animals to play with. .

Not to mention that every time Li Yu came to fight with Teacher An Dong, no, no, it was class. At this time, Clara could fish casually, so what Clara was looking forward to most now was Li Yu's appearance.

However, Li Yu suddenly had a whim these days, and taught the children not to run outside the castle anymore, and the little maid could no longer mess around, and she was not interested in those crooked symbols on the ground, Just stood aside and yawned.

Li Yu ignored her until Clara blurted out 49.

In fact, the little maid regretted it after she finished speaking. Although she didn't know why the foreigner in front of her was teaching such weird things, it was obvious that he was doing something right now, and Clara, as a maid, shouldn't have interrupted.

But seeing Nicole's painful expression, Clara still couldn't help it.

However, she and Li Yu were quite acquainted, and she was not too afraid when she knew that she had caused trouble, but stuck out her tongue at Li Yu in embarrassment.

Li Yu asked, "Seven or eight..."

"56." The little maid said casually.

"Eight or eight."

"64."

"Eight or nine?"

"I don't know what happened next, I didn't listen carefully."

"That's not bad, you have a good memory."

"Hehehe, Manager Fausto praised me that much too." Clara puffed her chest out and said proudly.

"Then let's study together."

"Hey...that's not necessary." The little maid was frightened when she heard that she was studying. She didn't want the lazy time she had so hard to get to be wasted like this, so she explained, "I'm just a maid. I don't care about everything. I don't understand..."

But before she finished speaking, she was interrupted by Li Yu, "Didn't Fausto tell you that you must meet all my requirements? Then I ask you to learn mathematics from me like these children, so It would be a pity to waste a good memory."

"........."

Clara was completely dumbfounded, she stood there dumbfounded, and for the first time had a deep understanding of what it meant to speak out.

"Don't even think about acting stupid in front of me in the future, deliberately not studying hard, then I'll tell Fausto to change my maid, you don't want such a leisurely job to disappear, do you?"

"But it is no longer leisurely." The little maid said with tears.

"I will discuss with Fausto to buy you." Li Yu said, "In this way, you will no longer have to work in the castle, and concentrate on working under me. Like them, you will work for five days and take two days off. You are an adult, two silver coins per month, and a scholarship if you study well."

(End of this chapter)