A degree makes all the difference

In my fourth standard in Delhi, I was just re-doing my geometry homework and I was not too mighty pleased - I was asked to redo my homework as my right angled triangle was 89 degrees and not 90... I was mighty pissed with the teacher and when I had asked why I had to redo it, she replied curtly"Because it should be 90 degrees and not 89 degrees"

I went to Appa and started blaming the education system and how I do not like the Maths teacher and I showed him the protractor and said - "See Appa, such a small degree difference and this teacher has made me re-do my geometry homework". Appa used to be very patient and he heard my full story and got me to his side and said...

"Shyam, you know geometry is about accuracy. A degree difference can cause satellites to go out of orbit" and pointing to the roof. I looked at the roof and drew a blank expression.

He understood that my mind was not convinced as I was still feeling wronged by my Maths teacher... He said" I'll be back in a couple of minutes"... I stood waiting there - the protractor in my mouth and looking up and wondering "Why is Appa worried about satellites when I am just doing my geometry homework... " The reason I came to Appa was for sympathy and not explanations.

As I was pondering Appa came back - he was holding Amma's sewing kit and he took out the black thread. Seeing that I thought - maybe my dad thinks I am totally incompetent to study and I should start tailoring or something.... He made two long strings from the black threads and said... "Hold it"

Then he said" I will hold the two strings to the bottom of the protractor and you go to the end of the room and I will show you that this small difference in degree in the protractor makes so much of difference at the other end of the room... I slowly took the ends of the string and placed one down and placed the other right next to it... He said move the left string - i moved it a little bit... He said a little bit more and this went on - after a while he said"Stop, check the direction of the two strings" One was pointing to my room door and the other was heading to my parents room door which was roughly 3-4 feet away...

Then he said "This is the difference of one degree" I was astonished" I ran to his side and saw what he had been doing. He had made one of the strings aligned to the 90 degree angle and the other at 89. Then he

He the went on and said "Now imagine this was dragged for miles - how much the change would have happened in the direction" By now I was all ears and he went on to explain - that if the scientists at NASA made a small calculation of one degree, the satellite would not go where it is intended and that the satellite launch would be a failure... I listened with rapt attention and then quitely went to my room.

I quietly did the gemoetry homework and got an "Excellent" in the remarks section. But the real lesson I learnt was from my Dad. Why doesn't our education system teach us in a way to inculcate interest in the subject - I still don't know

All I know is "Appa should have been a geometry teacher"