Theory vs Reality

 

“You are confusing theory with reality!”

 

This is what my math teacher exclaimed when I argued with him

about my answer against his. The question is this:

 

“When you are in your military training, which position is easier to be,

or, which position puts you more at ease, ‘attention’ or ‘at ease’?”

 

Our topic at that time is vertical and horizontal force, and the resultant forces.

 

Anybody who has gone through military training will answer quickly: ‘at ease’!

Especially when you are talking of a lengthy stance.

 

Of course, that is not so in the science of numbers. When in ‘attention’, you only

deal with vertical force; but when ‘at ease’, you have vertical and horizontal forces.

Of course, from his point of view, which is math, his answer is correct. But also

from my point of view, which is reality, I am also correct. From the question’s

point of view, I insisted that between the two answers, mine is the correct one.

 

At that point, he exclaimed…