Lily
Teacher: “Define energy.”
Johnny: “I don’t remember the complete definition but I remember the last few words.”
Teacher: “Ok, say the last few words then.”
Johnny: “… and this is called energy.”
Tommy was sitting in math class when suddenly his teacher asked him
“Tommy, How much is 2 + 2?”
Tommy, caught off guard, begins counting his fingers under the table mumbling to himself: “1…2…3…4,” before happily exclaiming “The answer is four!”
“That’s correct,” answered his teacher, “but I saw you counting your fingers instead of doing the math in your head. So I want you to put your hands behind your back and tell me what do you get if you add 3 + 3?”
Tommy put his hands behind his back, but his teacher saw that he was still moving uncomfortably as if he were trying to count fingers. After a few moments he said uncertainly, “is the answer six?”
“You are correct,” she replied, “but I see you’re still counting fingers despite me asking you not to! Put your hands in your pant pockets and tell me what you get if you add 5 + 5.”
Tommy put his hands in his pants and his teacher saw him looking at his pants and moving his lips without uttering a word.
Finally the teacher became impatient and said: “I see what you’re doing there and I can tell you right now that the answer is not eleven!”
Seven rabbits
Teacher: If I give you two rabbits and two rabbits and another two rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Paddy: Seven.
Teacher: No, listen carefully again! If I give you two rabbits and two rabbits and another two rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Paddy: Seven.
Teacher: Let’s try this another way! If I give you two apples and two apples and another two apples, how many apples have you got?
Paddy: Six.
Teacher: Good. Now if I give you two rabbits and two rabbits and another two rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Paddy: Seven.
Teacher: How on earth do you work out that three lots of two rabbits is seven?
Paddy: I’ve already got one rabbit at home.