veronica_rich: (Default)
veronica_rich ([personal profile] veronica_rich) wrote2007-03-15 02:38 am

Ficlet: "The Math Lesson"

THE MATH LESSON
POTC
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue. Peace out.
Summary: Inspired by [livejournal.com profile] lizzie_omalley's "Pi Day" challenge. Oh, just read it!
A/N: This is really short and unbetaed. Just a bit of fun, really.


“Pay attention,” Jack warmed to his tutorial. “We’ll use th’ helm here for an example.” He patted the worn black wood.

“I think I can-” Will began.

“Now, it works like so.” He ignored his deckhand and produced a bit of rope, leaning over to press one end against the center of the wheel, then pulling the other end up along a spoke. “This here’s th’ radius. Ye double it, then multiply by Pi, and-“

“Wait.” Will scratched his head, looking confused.

“Did I not say pay ‘tention?”

“What does pastry have to do with this?” Will asked, cocking his head skeptically.

“PI. P-I, not like with your cherry. No ‘e.’ Building block of advanced mathematics.”

“Jack, I’m a smith. My chances of knowing beyond sums are as likely as your cherry being in place.”

When he snapped around to look at Will, Jack found the lad perfectly wooden-faced. The Turners were good at that. “Pi’s a number roughly three an’ one-seventh,” he explained, warming to a lesson. “Universal constant used in th’ measurement of circular things, and-”

“Like this conversation?” Will finally cracked an expression, and Jack straightened to stand.

“Son, do ye wan’ learn sailin’ properly?”

“I know I don’t need a pie to figure out how much bigger this wheel is than one.” Will reached into his pocket and approached, loosing a longer length of rope that he draped over the top of the helm before kneeling to pull the ends together loosely at the bottom as it hugged the wheel. “Hn … about six and a quarter feet.” He sounded proud.

Jack sighed, scratching the bridge of his nose. “And what’ll ye do when havin’ to measure for bigger circles?”

Will actually grinned. “Get more rope.”

[identity profile] ainsoph15.livejournal.com 2007-03-15 09:52 am (UTC)(link)
I love this! Will+Pie+Cheekiness = Delicious! But I think the funniest thing is the idea of Jack doing maths. Of course, he has to know how, what with the navigation of a ship being rather dependent on it etc, but just the though of Jack doing hard sums and using a slide rule - ha ha!
Oh, and what do you suppose they did with all that rope after the lesson finished, I wonder???

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 07:52 am (UTC)(link)
Jack totally knows his maths! He only *acts* drunk and daft - you notice how he snaps right out of it when he has to, LOL. I think it's an avoidance device ...

Thanks!

[identity profile] lizzie-omalley.livejournal.com 2007-03-15 12:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay! What a delightful way to wake up to the day. If I had Jack teaching me my maths I would have either loved them or found them more confusing than ever. I doubt I would have been bored though!

Thank you for taking the challenge!

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 07:53 am (UTC)(link)
or found them more confusing than ever

*tries to imagine Jack doing a better job with the quadratic equation than Mr. Hawkins in high school* No, because I'd want to be macking on him the whole time.

Thanks!

[identity profile] naotalba.livejournal.com 2007-03-15 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
You posted a fic for pi day! I think I love you.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 07:53 am (UTC)(link)
Awwww, shucks ...

[identity profile] erinya.livejournal.com 2007-03-15 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee. Great dialogue. And of course Will has the straightforward, practical approach.

Also, educated!Jack (or Self-educated!Jack) is such a kink of mine. I never doubted that he knows his maths.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 07:55 am (UTC)(link)
Jack knows more maths than he should, I fear. He's too smart for the good of everyone around him. :-P

Thanks!

[identity profile] ballincollig.livejournal.com 2007-03-15 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Hooray! Will taking the piss out of Jack will always warm my heart...especially when Jack's trying to be all serious and edu-muh-cated :D

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 07:55 am (UTC)(link)
Will is one of the few people Jack really puts up with talking to him like that, isn't he? I wonder if it's because of Bill or just because Will's never been impressed with him at ALL.

[identity profile] vejiicakes.livejournal.com 2007-03-15 06:30 pm (UTC)(link)
“Jack, I’m a smith. My chances of knowing beyond sums are as unlikely as your cherry being in place.”

OH SNAP! XD

I love Jack being edu-ma-cated. I suspect he's better at math than me. (I'M AN ARTIST I DON'T NEED NO MATHS.)

I'm about to head off to class. Boy, I didn't need the image of Will with rope at the ready. And in front of Jack. Draping the rope over the wheel. Kne- *force of nosebleed rockets her backwards in the chair*

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 07:56 am (UTC)(link)
Will with a rope is something Jack should fear. And stay away from. Far away, really.

Hee.

Thanks!

[identity profile] restrainedchaos.livejournal.com 2007-03-15 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, Ver, it's so cute! I love how Will is totally not a stick (like yours ever is, but anyway). As usual, you make them believable, even though you're extending them beynd the parameters of what canon gives us.

I love you more than I already did.

*fangirls wildly*
Melanie

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 07:57 am (UTC)(link)
*flails back in hoopy-loopy slashy fashion*

I love my boys, what can I say? Danke!

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 08:00 am (UTC)(link)
It's like Laurel and Hardy ...

[identity profile] elibad.livejournal.com 2007-03-15 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Dear God! The delight!!

Small aside, the first thing I ever remember learning about PI is that it's an 'irrational' number. Made my prepubescent self snort in a most undignified manner and resulted in a stern look from my teacher. As a result I've always had this weird association for PI with the vaguely absurd. Now, I suspect my association will include Jack telling me it's 'irrational', in a manner much like he told Gibbs he wasn't making any sense in DMC during the 'drawing' scene.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 08:01 am (UTC)(link)
Jack and Pi belong together in such a 'shippy way. They're both irrational and irritate the hell out of Will.

Danke!

[identity profile] starrdust411.livejournal.com 2007-03-16 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
Boys don't have cherries! XP

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 08:02 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, but I DO beg to differ ... at least Will does.

[identity profile] xzombiexkittenx.livejournal.com 2007-03-16 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
Yay! Happiness.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 08:03 am (UTC)(link)
I know! Math should be fun, not feared!

[identity profile] a-silver-rose.livejournal.com 2007-03-16 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
ROFL! LOVE IT!

- Silver Rose

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 08:02 am (UTC)(link)
Can you imagine how middle school would've been different if we'd had Jack teaching math?
ext_7904: (pi)

[identity profile] porridgebird.livejournal.com 2007-03-16 05:47 am (UTC)(link)
I love you <3

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 08:04 am (UTC)(link)
I just kept thinking of Pintel going "SUMS!"

[identity profile] imogenelovelace.livejournal.com 2007-03-17 09:02 pm (UTC)(link)
That's fantastic! Nerdiness + pirates = love.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-03-18 08:03 am (UTC)(link)
Nerdy Pirates In Love

I think it's a great movie idea ...

[identity profile] elessil.livejournal.com 2007-11-16 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Here via your memories post...no, I was not reading Turrow, you're imagining that here and every after ;)

That's why I can't say that I loved Will's quip about the circular conversation and the addition of my rope, because it'd give away I've read this.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2007-11-17 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
Then I can't say thanks for reading! 'cause you were never here ...

[identity profile] justawench.livejournal.com 2008-03-14 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
My chances of knowing beyond sums are as likely as your cherry being in place.

Oh, snap! :D

Wonder where Jack picked up all that knowledge?

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2008-03-15 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe he traded something to a smarter person for just enough practical formulas that would help his life? As in, if he knows how much his tankard will hold (circles and height), he knows how much he can drink without having to pay?
ext_56562: (Default)

[identity profile] mamazano.livejournal.com 2008-03-14 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
My kid just had a PI party at school today. Jack teaching would have been much more better than chocolate chip cookies!

Too, too much fun!!

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2008-03-15 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, but the child might've come home smelling of rum, too ...

Thanks!

[identity profile] tiamary.livejournal.com 2008-03-15 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
It's Pi day? Is that a British tradition? Cuz we all ain't hearin' 'bout it here in this here YUU-niiited States.

Fun! It reminded me of Groucho trying to teach geography to a bored, smart-alec Chico.

So with that cherry remark was Will implying Jack "takes it"? How would Will know? With all of the Sparrawills answering this story do I even need to ask? lol PS I'm seeing some neato icons.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2008-03-15 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
The correct term is "Turrow. As in the avatar. *G*

Cuz we all ain't hearin' 'bout it here in this here YUU-niiited States

I live in Indiana. Even the Hoosiers know about Pi. (Then again, I'm not a native Hoosier, so that might have something to do with it. *ducks fruit from any interlopers*) ;-)

How would Will know?

You're just asking all kinds of Questions for the Ages today, aren't you?

And, ack! the most important part - thanks for reading!
Edited 2008-03-15 01:36 (UTC)

[identity profile] sharklady35.livejournal.com 2008-03-15 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
> Jack totally knows his maths! He only *acts* drunk and daft - you notice how he snaps right out of it when he has to. <

Aye. Getting people to underestimate him is something he's developed into a fine art.

I found this fic disproportionately amusing- it reminds me of a similar scene in 'Pinky And The Brain.' (And that's likely to be the last time I'll ever compare Jack Sparrow to Brain, though I love them both.)

BTW: Jack hasn't got the diameter-calculating formula quite right. You don't double the radius; you multiply it by itself (then multiply the total by Pi.)

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2008-03-15 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
Actually, Pi x radius squared is the area; circumference is Pi x diameter. Radius is half of diameter, so you would double the radius and then multiply by Pi. *G*

Glad you liked it!

(no subject)

[identity profile] sharklady35.livejournal.com - 2008-03-15 01:44 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] spookyfbi.livejournal.com 2008-03-15 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
*is total maths geek*
*is studdying to be a high school maths teacher*
*is wondering if she could get away with reading this fic out to students*
Actually, the cherry remark would probably make it a tad inappropriate... Never mind.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2008-03-15 01:31 pm (UTC)(link)
“PI. P-I, not like with apples. No ‘e.’ Building block of advanced mathematics.”

“Jack, I’m a smith. My chances of knowing beyond sums are as likely as Barbossa sharing apples with you.”

Eh, it sort of ruins the joke, but the rest of the fic is intact, at least. If you read it, tell me what they thought.

Thanks!

(no subject)

[identity profile] spookyfbi.livejournal.com - 2008-03-15 13:39 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[identity profile] sharklady35.livejournal.com - 2008-03-15 17:06 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] camille-moineau.livejournal.com 2008-03-16 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
*<3s you* and I'm not even good at math (well I am good at logic problems and memorizing formulas...most of the time. I was so happy when I memorized the one for quadratic equations).

You have no idea how hot educated! and/or teacher!Jack is to me -- I still can't believe that even after DMC -- where he was seen reading the letter of marque -- that we *still* got illiterate/generally uneducated!Jack fics, and it pisses me off. What's interesting about Jack and his intelligence is not only how well he's able to hide it in canon, but he's managed to fool critics and even (some) of his own fans, who only see him as a drunk idiot.
Edited 2008-03-16 22:32 (UTC)

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2008-03-16 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)
When we got to the quadratic equation, we were just supposed to plug in numbers for a couple of weeks, then he would teach us how he arrived at it and why. For some reason I couldn't handle that, and so I struggled for a few days until he taught me during free period one day how and why the equation worked, and then I was able to happily plug away. *G*

Jack clearly has some sort of education - I wouldn't say the best or a lot, perhaps, but he's not illiterate, I don't believe. Maybe he's just too good an actor with the buffoon stuff. *G*

(no subject)

[identity profile] sharklady35.livejournal.com - 2008-03-17 02:30 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] kseenaa.livejournal.com 2008-03-18 10:05 am (UTC)(link)
*laughs* That is so me. I am definitely on Will's corner here. I so suck at math. :-D Me and Will. We'll get more rope. Good plan!

---------------------------------------------------

Join the LJ-strike on friday March 21st! (http://kseenaa.livejournal.com/141762.html)

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2008-03-18 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
The thing is, it's NOT wrong - Will may not know formulas, but he knows how to solve things, even if he takes the long way doing it sometimes. *G*

Thanks!

[identity profile] elerrina-amanya.livejournal.com 2008-03-18 12:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Only found this a moment ago, so it made a great b-day surprise!
Jack, Will and maths, it's just inspired =) Being a pure mathematician, I would clearly have had to teach Will to appreciate the beauty of abstract concepts—although I might have become rather distracted by the beauty of Will ;) Okay, now I really want more pirate!maths fic...

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2008-03-18 03:57 pm (UTC)(link)
I can just see Jack trying to explain how much water or rum's in an inverted cone of some sort ...

"But why a third?"

"'Cause that's the formula, lad - th' area of the base by one-third of th' depth."

"But you don't know WHY?"

"William, d' YOU know why ye flick your wrist just so when you're knockin' someone's sword from their grip?"

"That's not the same thing, Jack, and you know it."

Jack: *siiiiigghhhh* The things I do for some regular sex ...

But hey, I'm a slash fan; I would think that. *G*

Thanks!

[identity profile] keechakatt.livejournal.com 2009-03-15 05:51 am (UTC)(link)
Somehow I missed this the first time around.

Very funny. XD

My niece who is 12 is a wiz at PI. Now me, I'm lucky I can add and ballance a check book.

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2009-03-16 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
I've always loved higher maths, but I can't apply them to anything having to do with computers, code, anything like that - my sister was always much better at that (my significantly younger sister *G*).

Thanks!

[identity profile] soubie.livejournal.com 2011-04-13 12:06 am (UTC)(link)
Splorfle.

Ludicrously elaborate innuendos. Jack knowing his geometry. Will being a smartass. I love it!

(I also love elibad's idea that Will would be annoyed by the irrationality of pi. Not that I think he'd have any difficulty in using it once he got it. Just reminds me a little of the New Pie in Going Postal (which I won't bother to explain here because it's not funny out of context.)

Also- Jack really enjoying teaching something complicated and interesting. Yeees, he does, doesn't he?

[identity profile] veronica-rich.livejournal.com 2011-04-14 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
*bows* Glad you liked it. I'm surprised anyone still reads this, it's been a long time since I wrote it!

(no subject)

[identity profile] soubie.livejournal.com - 2011-04-14 21:54 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[identity profile] soubie.livejournal.com - 2011-04-14 23:48 (UTC) - Expand

Page 1 of 2