A Math-terpiece

Dinnertime conversations in the Perkins home can be a little non-standard. Our conversation tonight, for example, was all mathematical. N was in a numerical frenzy and spent most of the meal begging for challenging math questions. Addition and subtraction are passé. We've moved on to simple multiplication, square roots and are dabbling in decimals. Eventually the meal was over and my interest in the endless stream of questions was sated as well. N, however, needed something postprandial and soothing to ease him into the bedtime frame of mind. A timed math quiz was just the thing.  I wiped up a print-out, seated his butt at the kitchen table and put 10 minutes on the clock.  You'd've thought he was at Disneyland.

At the sound of the buzzer, he was working on his last problem, so we was given some math grace and allowed to finish the test.  I graded it ruthlessly.