Mathematical Skit
SCENE 1
Narrator – This story takes place in a town. A painter is going to the store to get paint for a
very important painting project. However, when he reaches there, he sees that the
shopkeepers are in a bit of a problem. Can he solve it? Let’s see.
Painter – Hello!
Shopkeeper – Oh Hello Painter!
Painter – It Seems like you have a bit of a problem. May I help you ?
Shopkeeper 2 (Entering from behind) – Oh Hello Painter! We are having a big problem and
we could use some help.
Painter – yea Sure. I can try to help. What is your problem?
Shopkeeper (Tensed Expression) – Well we received a stock of paint cans today, but they
keep on falling over. We tried so many ways to stack them but they either take too much
space or with one toe out of line they all fall down.
Shopkeeper 2 (Tensed Expression) – Yes, we are also receiving so many items today but
with this problem I don’t think we will have any space to keep them.
Painter – Hmm, why don’t you try arranging them in a pyramid? Triangles are known to be
the most stable and rigid shape. They will not fall if you arrange them in that order.
(The Painter and the Shopkeeper get to work arranging the cans in the pyramid shape)
SCENE 2
Narrator – Well looks like the problem of the shopkeepers is now solved. However, none
of them know why the pyramid is so stable. Looks like an Engineer is going to explain it to
them. Can it solve some other problems too? I think so.
Engineer – Hello!
Painter (thinking then Gets up) – Oh good morning
Engineer – Hmm I see you were stacking paint cans but why did you stack them in a
pyramid?
Shopkeeper 2 (Entering from behind) – Hello well we stacked them in a pyramid because
the painter taught us a new thing.
Engineer – And what was that?
Shopkeeper (Light Smile) – That triangles are the most stable and rigid shapes in the world.
Engineer – Yes, they are. We use them a lot in Construction, but do you know why?
Painter – Not really ,I just heard about that on the internet, but I don’t know the reason
behind it … can you tell us why they are rigid and stable ?
Engineer (Pointing to a Straight Line) – Because of this right angle at the centre.
Shopkeepers (Curious Expression) – What is a Right Angle?
Painter (Also Curious) – yea I know what an angle is but I don’t know what is a right angle
is?
Engineer – as you know An angle is when two lines join at a common endpoint. A Right
Angle is when the angle is 90 degrees.
Painter – okay but how does it relate to the problem we are facing?
Shopkeeper – Probably because it’s keeping it stable.
Engineer – Exactly. When you put the objects at an even height like this. The force exerted
by them gets evened out making them the most stable shape.
Painter – Oh I get it now. Oh so when you join these two right angles they form this stable
shape …. That’s why our previous triangle was not stable because it cannot Be divided two
equal right angled triangle
Engineer – absolutely correct
SCENE 3
Narrator – The Painter, Shopkeeper and Engineer keep on talking about random things but
suddenly the painter remembers something. Can the engineer solve that problem too?
Let’s find out.
Painter – Oh my god ! I just remembered. I have a painting project at a businessman’s house
and I need to buy a ladder for it, but I don't know how long that ladder should be .
Engineer – That’s easy as well. What’s the wall’s height?
Painter (Thinking) – Umm about 10 feet
Engineer – And the length of the ground?
Painter – umm Around 15 feet
Engineer (Doing some calculations) – Then you need…an 18.2 feet ladder.
Shopkeeper – That was fast. How did you do that?
Engineer – I used the Pythagorean Theorem
Painter – The what theorem ?
Engineer – The Pythagorean Theorem. Let’s go to the Paint cans and I will explain it you.
Shopkeeper – Sure Let’s go.
*After reaching*
Shopkeeper 2 – Now what?
Engineer – You remember the Right Angle I told you about earlier?
Shopkeeper 2 – Yes, we do.
Engineer – Well the vertical side making it is called the Perpendicular or Height and the
Horizontal side is called the Base. The longest side joining these two points is called the
Hypotenuse. Let us call them a, b, and c for now.
Shopkeeper – Understood, but what does the Theorem say?
Engineer – The Theorem says that the sum of the squares of the base and height is equal to
the square of the hypotenuse. In other words, a^2 + b^2 = c^2
Painter – that’s Sounds simple enough. So, you took the value of the wall’s height and
ground’s length as a and b the square rooted the value and added them for the ladder’s
length, right?
Engineer – Exactly.
Shopkeeper 2 – Now let me get your paints and the ladder. You must be getting late.
Painter – Yes let’s go.
SCENE 4
Narrator – The Painter and Engineer pay for their things and get going. They reach the
businessman’s house, and the painter requests the engineer to stay. They reach to
another peculiar conclusion. Let’s see what that is.
Painter (Listening) – (Gets a call) Yes Sir Alright Sir
Engineer (After he finishes) – What seems to be the problem?
Painter – (Taking out something) Sir had given me a painting. It has four triangles and one
square at the centre. I know the area of the triangles but not that of the square and I need
to carve out a section similar to this painting’s area on the wall … what should I do !!?!!?
THE PAINTING
Engineer – Well the Pythagorean Theorem can help us easily. Move the purple triangles to
one side and the green to one side like this. Then you get two squares one is a^2 and the
other is b^2. Add them up and you get the area of the original blank square.
Painter – Oh thank you . Now I can easily find the area of the remaining space but can you
tell me where else this is in use?
Engineer – It has many uses. Used in construction and architecture, in two-dimensional
navigation to find the shortest distance, to survey the steepness of the slopes of mountains
or hills, to calculate the length of staircase required to reach a window and many others.
Painter – wow, I didn’t know it had so many uses. Now you must be getting late. You should
be on your way.
Engineer – Yes, I should go. Good day!
Painter – Bye have a great day!
THE END
