Algebra Simplified

Hall and Knight

or 'z + b + x = y + b + z'

When he was young his cousins used to say of Mr Knight:

'This boy will write an algebra - or looks as if he might.'

And sure enough, when Mr Knight had grown to be a man,

He purchased pen and paper and an inkpot, and began.
But he very soon discovered that he couldn't write at all,

And his heart was filled with yearnings for a certain Mr Hall;

Till, after many years of doubt, he sent his friend a card:

'Have tried to write an Algebra, but find it very hard.'
Now Mr Hall himself had tried to write a book for schools,

But suffered from a handicap: he didn't know the rules.

So when he heard from Mr Knight and understood his gist,

He answered him by telegram: 'Delighted to assist.'
So Mr Hall and Mr Knight they took a house together,

And they worked away at algebra in any kind of weather,

Determined not to give up until they had evolved

A problem so constructed that it never could be solved.
'How hard it is', said Mr Knight, 'to hide the fact from youth

That x and y are equal: it is such an obvious truth!'

'It is', said Mr Hall, 'but if we gave a b to each,

We'd put the problem well beyond our little victims' reach.
'Or are you anxious, Mr Knight, lest any boy should see

The utter superfluity of this repeated b?'

'I scarcely fear it', he replied, and scratched this grizzled head,

'But perhaps it would be safer if to b we added z.'
'A brilliant stroke!', said Hall, and added z to either side;

Then looked at his accomplice with a flush of happy pride.

And Knight, he winked at Hall (a very pardonable lapse).

And they printed off the Algebra and sold it to the chaps.

-- E. V. Rieu

Well, well, well, what do we have here ? As far as I am concerned, ( and as far as just about every student is concerned ) , "accomplice" is just the right word.

Mbleh ! I have been the victim of conspiracy most vile : for whatever reason, all the text that I view on a web page has been reduced to Times New Roman size 8, and I cannot open my own blog page - I can go to the Dashboard, etc., but everytime I go to http://nayabed.blogspot.com , This happens :

What in the name of Irodov, Piskunov, and Finar is going on ?

403 error ? I am forbidden from viewing my own blog ? for(int i=0;i<32767;i++)cout<<"?";