A DOUBLE VICTORY
In William Still's classic work THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD (1877) is an account of an exceedingly absorbed abolitionist, Abigail Goodwin of Salem, New Jersey, who would deny herself "even necessary apparel" in her zeal to help the escaped slaves who sought succor from her! (P. 611)
What struck me, however, was the opening sentence of her letter to William Still about another selfless abolitionist, female friend, Esther Moore, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whom Still profiles ahead of Goodwin in his book.
That sentence reads:
"I sent E.M. (Esther Moore) forty-one dollars more by half than I expected to when I set about it."
Formerly I would have glossed over that sentence without even endeavoring to do the math to determine how much she had expected to send originally.
Now, however, since I have been reading, and thoroughly enjoying, math problems from the ancient Egyptian "Rhind Mathematical Papyrus," as set forth in Robin Walker and John Matthews' remarkably wonderful book, AFRICAN MATHEMATICS: HISTORY, TEXTBOOK AND CLASSROOM LESSONS (2014), I am not the least bit intimidated, and have, in fact, willingly engaged in this problem solving !
I solve the problem as follows:
41= X + X/2
41= 3/2X
41x2/3=X
82/3=27.33
X=27.33
Now, that's what I call a double victory! Lord be praised!
