Chapter 198: The Math Duel
What happens in Chapter 194 of "The Great Ming in the Box"? Bai Yuan: âOh? Never expected the County Lord to be a math expert too.âLiang Shixian... Read on to find out!
Bai Yuan: âOh? Never expected the County Lord to be a math expert too.âLiang Shixian smiled: âMy learning may be miscellaneous, but all aimed at practical governance. Far superior to those who merely compose verses and moan without cause.â
His boasting stirred Bai Yuan up.
Bai Yuan gripped his math textbook tighter, an invisible aura of competitiveness rising around him. Hmph, daring to boast about miscellaneous learning? Just how varied could yours be? How many of the Six Arts of Gentlemen have you mastered?
In classical texts like the Four Books and Five Classics or imperial exam material, Bai Yuan knew he couldnât rival a proper scholar-official. But challenging Bai Yuan in math? That was courting death. Hmph! Might as well settle scores with you alongside my rebellious boy.
âExcellent, County Lord!â said Bai Yuan, grinning broadly. âSince youâre an expert yourself, how about we compete shortly?â
âWhy not indeed?â Liang Shixian too grew eager. In this remote northwestern county, the academic atmosphere paled compared to Jiangnanâs. Finding someone intellectually stimulating here was rare, and now Bai Yuan seemed formidableâno reason to decline.
Fang Wushang fumed: âWerenât we here to discuss military strategy? Why are you suddenly squabbling over math?â
Thirty-Two hurried over and pulled Fang Wushang aside: âCalm down, General Fang. Leave the bandit planning to me. Iâll mobilize the militia to Bai Family Fortress. You focus on your garrison.â
Fang Wushang gave a disdainful Hmph!. After all, the bandits wouldnât arrive for days. He had no patience for the scholarsâ game. Rallying his troops, he marched toward the border between Bai Family Fortress and Fengyuan Town.
Meanwhile, Bai Yuan and Liang Shixian entered Gaojia Fortress together.
For a scholarly duel, the Book Well was the natural setting.tled. âOh? Then show me your problem.â
Bai Yuan smiled: âFine, Iâll go next. Here is eighteen twelfths. When reduced, what does it become?â
Upon hearing this problem, Liang Shixian was delighted: Fractions?
Hah! Thinking you can stump this official with fractions? You underestimate me greatly.
Let this official ponder it carefully.
Liang Shixian, Knowledgeable in many matters, instantly activated his calculation mode. Images flashed through his mind like a spinning lantern â classic texts like Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, Zhou Bi Suan Jing, and Wu Jing Suan Shu whirled past. Suddenly, a mental âDing!â sound signaled it settling on the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art.
The Grand Width technique in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art states: Multiply the denominator by its remainder, the numerator follows suit.
Liang Shixian laughed aloud: âTwo-thirds!â
Only after he spoke did he notice that Young Master Bai beside him had already written â2/3â on paper earlier. Young Master Baiâs calligraphy was quite good.
Liang Shixian was astonished: This child solved it faster than me? Impossible! This officialâs mental lantern wasnât spinning slowly at all. How could this childâs mind work faster than this officialâs?
Young Master Bai chuckled: âYouâve both set problems, now itâs my turn.â
Young Master Bai swiftly drew a circle on the paper: âGiven a circular field with a diameter of ten zhang, find its area.â
Liang Shixian felt a jolt of panic. This problem was difficult! How could this little child pose such a difficult problem right away? This was a challenge to an adult! This was absolutely a challenge to an adult! This official will fight you with everything!
Liang Shixian, Knowledgeable in many matters, once more activated his calculation mode. All his learning, the various mathematical texts, spun through his mind like a lantern again. Suddenly, another mental âDing!â sound signaled it settling on the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art.
The Square Fields chapter in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art states: The area of a circle is found by multiplying its circumference and diameter together and taking one fourth.
Meaning: Multiply the circumference by the diameter, then divide by four, to get the area.
But, this child only stated the diameter was ten zhang! He didnât give the circumference!
Liang Shixian spoke up: âIs your problem incomplete? The circumference of the circular fieldâŚâ
Before he could finish his sentence.
Bai Yuan beside him laughed: âThe area of this field is 78.5 square zhang.â
Liang Shixian: â!!!â
Why?!
How did Bai Yuan calculate it? The problem wasnât complete! How on earth did he manage it?
Just then, Bai Yuan actually continued posing another problem: âGiven a circular barrel, its base diameter is one chi, its height is two chi. Find its volume.â
The images flashed through Liang Shixianâs mind⌠whoosh⌠whoosh⌠whoosh⌠spinning wildly for a long time. Spinning and spinning, but every panel of the lantern was utterly blank, showing nothing at all.
Thud! He collapsed face-first onto the table. âThis official⌠concedes!â
Young Master Bai also paled visibly: âVolume of a cylinder?! Oh no! This⌠I havenât learned this yet.â
Bai Yuan laughed heartily: âI win! I knew I could win! With the twelve heavenly books in hand, who in the âMathematicsâ art of the Six Arts of Gentlemen can rival me? Hah hah hah hah!â